446 
Our Six-footed Rivals . 
[October, 
scarcely even notice their puny efforts. In short, there is 
every reason to believe that many of their species would 
become extindfl, and that the remainder would live, so to 
speak, mainly on sufferance, playing no appreciable part in 
the economy of the globe. Turning from this hypothetical 
survey of the ant as an individual, unorganised being, to its 
acTual condition, we see the most striking contrast. Mr. 
Belt gives the following graphic account of the excitement 
caused by a marching column of Ecitons in the primeval 
forests of Nicaragua : — “ My attention was generally first 
called to them by the twittering of some small birds be- 
longing to different species. On approaching, a dense body 
of the ants, 3 or 4 yards wide and so numerous as to blacken 
the ground, would be seen moving rapidly in one direction, 
examining every cranny and underneath every fallen leaf. 
On the flanks and in advance of the main body smaller 
columns would be pushed out. These smaller columns 
would generally first flush the cockroaches, grasshoppers, 
and spiders. The pursued inserts would rapidly make off, 
but many, in their confusion and terror, would bound right 
into the midst of the main body of ants. At first the grass- 
hopper, when it found itself in the midst of its enemies, 
would give vigorous leaps, with perhaps two or three of the 
ants clinging to its legs. Then it would stop a moment to 
rest, and that moment would be fatal, for the tiny foes would 
swarm over the prey, and after a few more ineffectual 
struggles it would succumb to its fate and soon be bitten to 
pieces and carried off to the rear. The greatest catch of 
the ants was, however, when they got amongst some fallen 
brushwood. The cockroaches, spiders, and other inseCts, 
instead of running right away, would ascend- the fallen 
branches and remain there whilst the host of ants were oc- 
cupying all the ground beneath. By-and-bye up would 
come some of the ants, following every branch and driving 
before them their prey to the ends of the small twigs, where 
nothing remained for them but to leap, and they would 
alight in the very throng of their foes with the result of 
being certainly caught and pulled to pieces. 
“ The moving columns of Ecitons are composed almost 
entirely of workers of different sizes, but at intervals of 
2 or 3 yards there are larger and lighter-coloured individuals 
that often stop and sometimes run a little backward, stopping 
and touching some of the ants with their antennae. They 
look like officers giving orders and directing the march of 
the column. 
“The ants send off exploring parties up the trees, which 
