IS 



RED AND BLACK ANTS. 



small red ant and the small black ant, both o? 

 which feed on animal substances, would some 

 times crowd around a fly, a spider, a small 

 lizard, or any other small animal or insect which 

 might lie dead upon the floor ; and by degrees. 

 a number sufficient to move their prey would 

 assemble, and they would convey it slowly 

 along, even up a white-washed wall, if the load 

 was not heavier than usual. It was a most 

 unpleasant sight to watch these insects clinging 

 to their burden on all sides of it, and so closely 

 packed as to appear to be one shapeless mas?- 

 of moving substance. All species of ants have 

 a disagreeable smell ; but the carnivorous small 

 red ant is that which is the most offensive. 

 There is also another kind of small black ant ; 

 it makes its nest in trees, and not near to and 

 among the timbers of houses. Though the size 

 of this ant is very diminutive, being smaller 

 than any other species, it is a dreadful enemy 

 to the large red ant, owing to the numbers and 

 determined courage of the black ant. These 

 small insects are sought after, and encouraged 

 to build upon orange and other fruit trees, 

 which are liable to destruction from the large 

 red ant ; and they effectually defend their ap- 

 pointed posts from the dreaded invaders, if time 

 has been given for their numbers to be equal to 

 the task. I have sometimes seen the entrance to 

 the nest of the red ants surrounded by the dead 



