8214 



Insects. 



feeding I observed that the antennae, mandibles and fore legs were suc- 

 cessively cleansed ; they are seemingly most careful in doing this, and 

 in brushing off any dirt or dust. The repast was a most orderly and 

 peaceful one $ though occasionally walked over and trodden on they 

 did not appear to resent it, and if noticed at all it was by a mere 

 raising of the antennas. One I saw dragging off a dead ant, but being 

 frequently impeded by the inequality and roughness of the road, it re- 

 laxed its hold, and stepping back the body was poised and raised on 

 high with the greatest ease imaginable, though about twice its own 

 size. Dr. Carpenter says that the soldiers of this species are " nearly 

 three times the size of the workers," and " rather differently formed 

 from the rest." 



It is astonishing how few are killed or even injured by pedestrians; 

 however, it is but a small portion of the foot that comes in contact 

 with the ground, owing to the projection of the heel, ball of foot, 

 nails, &c. ; besides ants are so strong and tenacious of life : their mus- 

 cular organization is truly wonderful, enabling them to carry, with the 

 greatest ease, objects many times their own size and weight, and that, 

 too, up-hill and down-hill, and for any distance. Not having devoted 

 much time to the study of ants, I was not aware of their being so noc- 

 turnal in their habits as to be foraging at midnight, and of a dark, wet 

 night, too. Even supposing them to be but eighteen hours on the run 

 the distance traversed must be very considerable, for, allowing but two 

 feet a minute (a moderate calculation) it would in the time specified 

 amount to nearly half a mile. 



A worm having strayed on to a path was attacked by ants ; one, 

 though mounted on its back, was seemingly unnoticed at first, as the 

 creature went wriggling on as before, till, being wounded, it sprung or 

 jerked itself up, tossing its assailant well to the rear, but it soon 

 renewed the attack, and, with the aid of a glass, I could see its huge 

 curved mandible laterally opened to its greatest stretch, and then 

 brought down on the back of the worm, causing it to writhe with pain. 

 This was repeated with great regularity, not unlike the measured 

 strokes of a machine. Other ants having joined in the assault I put 

 an end to it by removing the worm to a place of safety. Some ants 

 I observed endeavouring to carry off a dead worm, and though an inch 

 or more in length three of the number sufficed to move it, but it was 

 not until the party had been increased to ten or a dozen that they suc- 

 ceeded in dragging it off, on account of the obstructions, the chief of 

 which being two lumps of hard earth adhering to its side and tail. 

 Seeing this, one seized hold of the latter or smaller fragment, which 



