Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-08-15

skin, always draws blood, but leaves
little or 10 irritation after it is remov-
ed.
An Army on the March.
The driver is the enemy and as
sailant not only of every other insect,
but Of every thing which comes in
It's way. They traverse the country
by day and by night, in trains of a
quarter or half mile long. They
form running stream, and persons
about to step oyes the train, as ii
glIdcs along under the grass, fre-
quently start back under the impress
sion of lis beng a snake. When
moving about in these long files,
they are either about to change their
residence, or are in search Of food.
They are always preceded 10y a few
struggling guards, who keep them in-
formed of any dangers or difficult
ties that may lie in their way. 1t is
astonishing with what rapidity note
OF alarm Gun be transmitted from one
end Of the line TO the other. The
soldiers, who always keep along the
side OF the regular column, the mo-
ment they receive a note Of alarm
set off with all possible despatch fer
the point Of danger, while the main
body is brought to dead halt, or
turned backward but as soon as the
obstruction is removed, or is found
not to be insuperable, the main army
Is set in motion again. They seem
10 have regular leaders, and there
are runners passing backwards and
forward all the while, as if 10 keep
up a constant communication be-
tween The front and rear.
Building an arch.
When about to cross n well trod-
den path, where they are likely to
be disturbed the soldiers weave
themselves into u complete arch, ex-
'a"dino across the whnla wioi,L -
the path, under which the females
and laborers bearing the larye, pass
without the least exposure. The
construction Of the arch with their
own bodies is one of the most singul-
ar and Interesting things to be met
with in the history of insects. One
ant is raised entirely above the
ground by having one pair of its
feet interIocked with the fore-ieet Of
another standing upright, and the
other pair with another in the same
posture on the opposite side of the
arch. Any number of these are
formed, and they are bound together
by other ants stretching themselves
lengthwise with the arch, and serv-
ing as transverse beams to hold the
different parts together. The arch
when formed, holds together with the
greatest tenaclty, aud looks like a
beautiful net work Of beads. ! have
frequently put the end of my cane
under the arch, and raised it four or
five five leet from the ground, with
out letting a single ant fall. As soon
as they are raised up, however, they
begin TO unraye themselves from
either end Of the wreath but in
stead OF dropping to the ground,
they mount up To the end of the
cane, and make for the hand which
has Hssailed them.
Their Pugnacity,
When disturbed in this way the
whole body of soldiers spread them
selves over space Of twenty or thir-
ty feet in diameter, over which
neither man nor beast can pass with
out getting some of them upon him,
aud receiving few sharp nips. A
horse can scarcely be forced through
them, and a dog never does except
with a bound or a leap, and even
then is sure 10 get one or more about
his claws, which are very apt 10 get
hold Of his lip in his attempt TO re-
move them from his toes.
II they come across a dead body
Of any kind, they encircle II, and by
the lime the whole column comes
up, it is completely covered. They
will remain by until every particle of
flesh is consumed, even should II be
the carcass Of an elephant, and re-
quire several days to complete their
work. They will attack living ami
mails with equal vehemence, and
thara 20 no,h;n,, 81 tho animal raca