PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 61 
he seizes him by one of his hind-legs, and gives him a 
violent pull:—upon this, leaving his liquor, the loiterer 
turns round, and opening his threatening jaws with 
every appearance of anger, goes very coolly to drinking 
again; but his monitor, without further ceremony, 
rushing before him, seizes him by his jaws, and at last 
drags him off in triumph to the formicary?. 
The language of ants, however, is not confined mere- 
ly to giving intelligence of the approach or presence of 
danger; it is also co-extensive with all their other oc- 
casions for communicating their ideas to each other. 
Some, whose extraordinary history I shall soon re- 
late to you, engage in military expeditions, and often 
previously send out spies to collect information. These, 
as soon as they return from exploring the vicinity, enter 
the nest; upon which, as if they had communicated their 
intelligence, the army immediately assembles in the 
suburbs of their city, and begins its march towards that 
quarter whence the spies had arrived. Upon the march, 
communications are perpetually making between the 
van and the rear; and when arrived at the camp of the 
enemy, and the battle begins, if necessary, couriers are 
dispatched to the formicary for reinforcements. 
If you scatter the ruins of an ant’s nest in your apart- 
ment, you will be furnished with another proof of their 
language. ‘The ants will take a thousand different paths, 
each going by itself, to increase the chance of discovery; 
they will meet and cross each other in all directions, and 
perhaps will wander long before they can find a spot 
2 Huber, 133. b Ibid. 237, 217, 167. 
