THE RED ANT. 
IS/ 
reason, has been garrisoned by a wing of a regiment 
from a populous settlement in the very tree which 
shelters you from the sun. Or else, threading your way 
along a jungle path, you are obstructed by the tough 
branch of a wild vine, which joins two trees and is used 
as a bridge by the ants which occupy both. Long 
before you reached it they were aware of your approach, 
and were dancing with excitement on the point of 
every prominent leaf ; so you have hardly touched it 
before a hundred have thrown themselves on your arms 
and body. One or two begin at once to bite your 
clothes. These are the young and inexperienced. The 
veterans make straight for certain points of which they 
appear to have instinctive knowledge, as, for instance, 
the back of your neck, just under your collar. Arrived 
there, they plunge their sharp jaws into your flesh, then 
curl their bodies round for better purchase, and drive 
the weapons home with a savagery which is simply ap- 
palling. When you pull the ant off, its head remains, 
for it is more firmly riveted to your skin than to its 
own neck. 
For many years this was the only point of view from 
which I had regarded the Red Ant, to which I attribute 
