576 BLACK SOLDIER- ANTS. 



regiments of black soldier-ants returning from their marauding 

 expeditions. These I have often noticed before in different parts 

 of the country ; and as we had, even at Kolobeng, an opportunity 

 of observing their habits, I may give a short account of them here. 

 They are black, with a slight tinge of gray, about half an inch in 

 length, and on the line of march appear three or four abreast; 

 when disturbed, they utter a distinct hissing or chirping sound. 

 They follow a few leaders who never carry any thing, and they 

 seem to be guided by a scent left on the path by the leaders ; for, 

 happening once to throw the water from my basin behind a bush 

 where I was dressing, it lighted on the path by which a regiment 

 had passed before I began my toilette, and when they returned 

 they were totally at a loss to find the way home, though they 

 continued searching for it nearly half an hour. It was found only 

 by one making a long circuit round the wetted spot. The scent 

 may have indicated also the propriety of their going in one di- 

 rection only. If a handful of earth is thrown on the path at the 

 middle of the regiment, either on its way home or abroad, those 

 behind it are completely at a loss as to their farther progress. 

 Whatever it may be that guides them, they seem only to know 

 that they are not to return, for they come up to the handful of 

 earth, but will not cross it, though not a quarter of an inch high. 

 They wheel round and regain their path again, but never think of 

 retreating to the nest, or to the place where they have been steal- 

 ing. After a quarter of an hour's confusion and hissing, one may 

 make a circuit of a foot round the earth, and soon all follow in 

 that roundabout way. When on their way to attack the abode 

 of the white ants, the latter may be observed rushing about in a 

 state of great perturbation. The black leaders, distinguished from 

 the rest by their greater size, especially in the region of the sting, 

 then seize the white ants one by one, and inflict a sting, which 

 seems to inject a portion of fluid similar in effect to chloroform, as 

 it renders them insensible, but not dead, and only able to move 

 one or two front legs. As the leaders toss them on one side, the 

 rank and file seize them and carry them off. 



One morning I saw a party going forth on what has been sup- 

 posed to be a slave-hunting expedition. They came to a stick, 

 which, being inclosed in a white-ant gallery, I knew contained 

 numbers of this insect ; but I was surprised to see the black sol- 



