Some Beasts and Insects 
acts differently. It will flee in the night but in 
the daytime it will cautiously approach a line 
and rapidly gulp down several mouthfuls of the 
ants before the guards discover what is going on. 
When these rush at the robber, it will run away 
apparently in great fear and after getting at a 
safe distance, will stop and bob its head up and 
down. 
These ants had a den in the bushes about a 
hundred yards from the mission house, and we 
had many visits from them until I covered it with 
grass and burned it out. We did not object to 
having our premises cleaned out occasionally, but 
it looked as if they were about to include us as 
part of their prey. One night just after dark, I 
heard a child connected with our native com¬ 
pound give a piercing scream, and I immediately 
snatched it up and brought it to the light. Its 
neck appeared to be encircled by a large black 
snake, but when I tried to tear it off, 1 found that 
the thing was a mass of “driver” ants. After 
rescuing the child, I had a lively time freeing my¬ 
self. Another night I was waked by piercing 
screams from my wife. I lighted a candle in¬ 
stantly and found her sitting up in bed tearing 
her hair like a maniac. Her neck was covered 
with “drivers” and they had also gotten into her 
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