82 . PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 
succours; small brigades kept frequently arriving to 
reinforce them, which emboldened them to approach 
nearer to the city they had blockaded; upon this their 
anxiety to send couriers to their own nest seemed to in- 
crease: these spreading a general alarm, a large rein- 
forcement immediately set out to join the besieging army; 
yet even then they did not begin the battle. Almost all 
the negroes, coming out of their fortress, formed them- 
selves in a body about two feet square in front of it, and 
there expected the enemy. Frequent skirmishes were 
the prelude to the main conflict, which was begun by 
the negroes. Long before success appeared dubious 
they carried off their pupse, and heaped them up at the 
entrance to their nest, on the side opposite to that on 
which the enemy approached. The young females also 
fled to the same quarter. The sanguine ants at length 
rush upon the negroes, and attacking them on all sides, 
after a stout resistance the latter, renouncing all defence, 
endeavour to make off to a distance with the pupz they 
have heaped up:—the host of assailants pursues, and 
strives to force from them these objects of their care. 
Many also enter the formicary, and begin to carry off 
the young brood that are left in it. A continued chain 
of ants engaged in this employment extends from nest to 
nest, and the day and part of the night pass before all is 
finished. A garrison being left in the captured city, on 
the following morning the business of transporting the 
brood is renewed. It often happens (for this species of 
ant loves to change its habitation) that the conquerors 
emigrate with all their family to the acquisition which 
their valour has gained. All the incursions of F san- 
guinea take piace in the space of a month, and they 
