96 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 
pires. The whole space which separates them, 
for the breadth of twenty-four inches, appears 
alive with prodigious crowds. The armies meet 
midway between their habitations, and then join 
battle. Thousands of champions mounted on 
more elevated spots engage in single combat, 
and seize each other with their powerful jaws ; 
a still greater number are engaged on both sides 
in taking prisoners, which make vain efforts to 
escape, conscious of the cruel fate which awaits 
them. The spot where the battle most rages is 
about two or three square feet in dimensions : a 
penetrating odour exhales on all sides, — num- 
bers of ants are here lying dead, covered with 
venom, — others composing groups and chains are 
hooked together by the legs or jaws, and drag 
each other alternately in contrary directions till 
the strongest party prevails, and the single com- 
bats recommence. At the approach of night each 
party gradually retreats to its own city, but be- 
fore the following dawn the combat is renewed 
with redoubled fury, and occupies a larger space, 
inspiring you to exclaim with the poet's martial 
fervour, 
" The combat deepens — on, ye brave !" 
These daily fights continue till violent rains 
separating them, they forget their quarrel, and 
