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THE DRIVERS. 363 
path; or, if they are to pass through a place of uncommon 
exposure, these soldiers form a covered passage, by standing 
upon each other's back and hooking their forceps together, 
through this arch thus formed the laborers pass in safety. 
When they leave a house it must be from some signal 
from the leaders, as some of them are seen running from 
one to another evidently giving command. The retreat is 
made in good order; not one individual is ever left behind. 
They often bridge narrow streams of water when these come 
across their path, by going in large numbers upon a flexi- 
ble plant on one side of a stream, until their weight causes 
it to bend to the other side. For courage and activity the 
soldiers have no equal; they know no fear, and when on 
duty they stand with their shiny black heads erect and 
forceps open, ready to seize on any passing animal. No 
horse, donkey, or dog, can be induced to cross their path, 
seeming to have an instinctive dread of them; and woe be 
to the individual, man or beast, who gets among them at 
night. If a twig is drawn through their ranks they instantly 
close their forceps upon it; and others in turn close upon 
their bodies and legs, till a mass of them is seen at the end 
of the stick looking like a bunch of curled hair. 
These insects have no eyes, but their sense of smell is 
very acute, for if the breath be blown on them from the dis- 
tance of some feet, they are instantly in motion, running to 
and fro with the greatest speed, evidently aware of the ap- 
proach of some living being. Though at times they are of 
great service in ridding our houses of cockroaches and other 
vermin, yet, when their haunt is near, their visits are much 
too frequent to be tolerated. Various methods are used 
to get rid of them, though often with but little success. 
When they are in large numbers in a small space, scalding 
Water is, perhaps, the best method. By throwing straw or 
other combustible material upon them, and suffering them 
to overrun it (which they quickly do), they may then be 
destroyed by applying a match to the mass. Gunpowder, 
