The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-04-28

lwsEcr BArrLEs. The battles which are
waeed BY the tribes of ants against each other
are carried on in the most sanghinary manner,
and with all the regularity Of human warfare.
Huber the Younger, thus describes one of their
engagements :--s' Both armies met half way
from their respective habitations, and the bat
tie commenced thousands of ants took their
station upon the higher ground, and fought in
pairs, keeping firm hold Of their antagonist by
their mandibles while considerable number
were engaged in the attack, others were lead
ing away prisoners; the latter made several in
effectual endsavors to escape, as if aware that,
upon reaching the camp, cruel death awaited
them. The field of battle occupied space of
about three feet square; penetrating odor
exhaled on all sides; and numbers of dead ants
were seen covered with venom. The ants, COM
posing groups and chains, laid hold of each 9th.
rer's legs and pincers, and dragged their antago-
nists on the ground: these groups formed sue
cessiyely. The fight usually commenced be-
tween two ants, who, seizing each other by the
mandibles, raised themselves upon their hind
legs, to allow of their bringing their abdomen
forward, and squirting their venom upon their
adversary; but when their force happened to
be equal, the wrestlers remained immoveable,
and fixed each other to the ground, until a third
came to decide the contest. 1t more commonly
happened, that both ants received assistance at
the same time, when the whole four, keeping
firm hold of foot or antenna, made Intellectual
attempts to win the battle. In this way they
sometimes formed groups of six, eight, or ten,
firmly locked all together: the group was only
broken when several warriors from the same
republic advanced at the sans time, and COM
PEELED the unclaimed insects to let go their hold,
and then the single combats were renewed on
the approach of night, each party retired grad
ually TO their own city. On the following day,
before dawn, the ants returned to the field of
battle the groups again formed the carnage
recommended with greater fury than on the
preceding evening, and the scene of combat oc-
cu1ied a space of six feet BY two. The event
remained for long time doubtful. About mid
day the contending armies had removed to the
distance of dozen feet from one Of their cities,
whence / concluded that some ground had been
gained. The ants fought SO desperately, that
they did not even perceive my presence and,
though / remained close to the armies, not a
single combatant climbed up my legs. The
ordinary operations of the two cities were not
suspended, ard, in all the immediate vicinity of
the nt-hills, order and peace prevailed; on that
side on which the battle ragged alone were seen
crowds of these insects running to and fro, some
to join the combatants, and some to escort the
prisoners. This war terminated without any
disastrous results to either of the two republics
long continued rains shortened its duration; and
each band of warriors ceased TO frequent the
road which led to TIE enemys camp"
ENORMOUS CONDOR In the course of the day
had an opportunity of shooting a condor it
was so satiated with its repast on the carcass of
q horse, as TO suffer me to approach within pis-
tol shot before it extended its enormous wings
to take its fight, which was to me the signal to
FIRE; and, having loaded with an ample charge
of pellets, my aim proved efiectual and fatal.
What formidable monster did / behold in the
raviRe beneath me, screaming and tapping in
the last convulsive struggles of life 1t may
be difficult to believe, that the most gigantic
animal which inhabits the earth or the ocean,
can be equalled by a tenant of the air; and these
persons who have never seen larger bird than
our mountain eagle, will probably read with as
constituent, Of species of that same bird, in
the southern hemisphere, being SO large and
strong as to seize an OK with its talons, and to
lift it into the air, whence it lets it fall to the
ground, in order TO kill it, and to prey upon the
carcass. But this establishment must in a great
degree subside, when the dimensions of the bird
are takea into consideration, and, which, incred-
ibie as they may appear, now insert 1erbGtim
from a note taken down by my own hand
",When the wings are spread, they measure
sixteen PAGES forty feet) in extent from point
to point the feathers are eight PAGES (twenty
feet) in length; and the quill part, two palms
eight inches) in circumference. 1t is said to
have powers sufficient to carry off live rhi
eros"- Temples Travels IN Peru.
EMPEROR OF CHINA. The emperor is styled