4330 Notices of New Books. 



at all formidable. The first time I met with this species it was near 

 sunset; I found the column consisted of two trains of ants moving in 

 opposite directions; one train empty-handed, the other laden with a 

 variety of the mangled remains of insects, chiefly, however, the larvae 

 and pupae of ants. I had no difficulty in tracing the line to the spot 

 from which they were conveying their prey ; this was in a low 

 thicket; the Ecitons were moving rapidly about a heap of dead 

 leaves : the tropical twilight was deepening, and I deferred further 

 examination till the next day. On the following morning I found no 

 trace of the ants in the place I had left them the preceding day, nor 

 in the thicket were there any signs of insects of any description : but 

 at the distance of eighty or one hundred yards I found them again, 

 evidently engaged in another piece of business, a razzia of a similar 

 kind, but requiring other resources of their instinct ; they were eagerly 

 occupied on the face of an inclined bank of light earth, excavating 

 mines, whence, from the depth of eight or ten inches, they were 

 extracting the bodies of a bulky species of Formica. It was curious 

 to see them crowding round the orifices of the mines, and assisting 

 their comrades to lift out the bodies of the Formicae ; the latter being 

 too bulky for one Eciton to carry, it was torn into pieces, and the 

 laden marauders forthwith started off with their booty. On excavating 

 the earth about the mines, I found the Formicae at the depth of about 

 eight inches, also their larvae and pupae. As fast as T excavated the 

 Ecitons rushed in, seizing the ants ; 1 had great difficulty in securing 

 a few specimens; they disputed them with me, even in my hands. 

 In excavating their mines they assisted each other in so systematic a 

 manner, with an appearance of so much intelligent cooperation, that 

 it was truly a wonderful sight : those in the mines lifted up the pellets 

 of earth to others stationed at the entrance, who forthwith conveyed 

 them to a few inches distance from the place. I now turned towards 

 the line of ants returning with their spoil of mutilated remains. For 

 some distance there were many lines of them moving along the 

 declivity of the bank, but at a short distance these converged; I then 

 traced them to a large indurated and ancient Termitarium : up the 

 ascent of this the Ecitons were moving in a dense column, like a 

 stream of liquid metal ; many were now assisting in lugging up the 

 bodies of the Formicae, and the whole disappeared in one of the 

 spacious tubular cavities which always traverse these old Termitaria 

 from the summit to the base." 



We must make room for one more extract; it relates to Myrmica 

 saivissima: — 



