Chap. XKVfl. BLACK SOLDIER-ANTS. 537 



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

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

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

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

 They follow a few leaders who never carry anything, 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 winch 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 

 direction only. If a handful of earth is tin-own 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 further 

 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 stealing. 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 then 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, dis- 

 tinguished from the rest by then 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 enclosed in a white-ant gallery, I knew contained numbers 

 of tins insect ; but I was surprised to see the black soldiers passing 



