1 877.] 
Our Six-footed Rivals. 
447 
hunt for nests of wasps, bees, and probably birds. If they 
find any they soon communicate the intelligence to the 
army below, and a column is sent up immediately to take 
possession of the prize. I have seen them pulling out the 
larvae and pupae from the cells of a large wasps’ nest, whilst 
the wasps hovered about, powerless, before the multitude 
of the invaders, to render any protection to their young.” 
Still more formidable are the “ driver ants ” of Tropical 
Africa, so called because on their approach even the lion, 
the elephant, and the huge python at once betake themselves 
to flight. 
Nor are the purely vegetarian ants of less importance in 
the economy of the countries they inhabit. They decide, 
in a manner, what trees shall grow and what shall be exter- 
minated, and it is only such as are comparatively distasteful 
to them that escape. In Nicaragua they render the ac- 
climatisation of any foreign tree or vegetable a task of great 
difficulty. Mr. Belt was often told, on asking the reason 
why no fruit-trees were grown at certain places, “ It is of 
no use planting them ; the ants eat them up.” These ants 
climb up the trees, when “ each one, stationing itself on the 
edge of a leaf, commences to make a circular cut from the 
edge with its scissor-like jaws, its hinder feet being the 
centre on which it turns. When the piece is nearly cut off 
it is still stationed upon it, and it looks as though it would 
fall to the ground with it ; but on being finally detached the 
ant is generally found to have hold of the leaf with one foot, 
and soon righting itself, and arranging its burden to its 
satisfaction, it sets off at once on its return.” 
An observer standing near the ant-hills “ sees from every 
point of the compass ant-paths leading to them, all thronged 
with the busy workers carrying their leafy burdens. As far 
as the eye can distinguish their tiny forms, troops upon 
troops of leaves are moving up towards the central point 
and disappearing down the numerous tunnelled passages. 
The ceaseless toiling hosts impress one with their power, 
and one asks — What forests can stand before such in- 
vaders ?” Concerning the use to which the ant-leaves are 
put some difference of opinion prevails ; that they do not 
direCtly serve as food is admitted. Mr. Bates, from obser- 
vations made in Brazil, concludes that “ the leaves are used 
to thatch the domes which cover the entrances to their 
subterranean dwellings, thereby protecting from the deluging 
rains the young brood in the nests beneath.” Mr. Belt, 
who has carefully examined the habits of an allied species 
in Nicaragua, believes that the real use they make of them 
