Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-12-24

when, on looking down, tounu, 70 my
surprise, that l was in the midst Of
battlefield. A powerful army of red ants
had invaded the dominions Of the black
colony which for three years past had
had kind of supervision over. had
often brought plants covered with sphides
the immortal Linnaus called these aph-
ides the ants cows-and stuck the plants
into the earth around their dwelling, and
had given them sugar, and had driven
and carried tosds from their nest which
were devouring them. In short, had
become very much interested in and at
tached to this colony, but l was power
less to aid them now. could only look
on in wonder and establishment.
A yard or more around the foot of the
tree the battle was raging, and no place
for the sole of my foot without crushing
the combatsnts / found in every instance
a red ant pitted against black; some
times two red ones against one black, IN
which case the black was soon dispatched.
For three hours | watched the conflict;
all around me the combatauts locked In
close embrace, rolling and tumbling
about, never separating until one was
killed, and often the dead victim had
fastened with so firm hold on his adver-
sary that il was with the utmost difficulty
that he could free himself from his death
grip.
The sun went down, and the gathering
darkness compelled me TO leave my post
Of observation, but as long as could see,
the conflict was as fierce as when first
beheld it. | now picked up several Of
the warriors, but 80 inten; were they in
their terrible struggle that my handling
did not divert them in the least. | car
RED several pairs into the house, placed
,rem under large oval glass the cover
OF a feruery) on a handicapped table,
and watched the conflict
found | had ten black and ten red
warriors, not engaged in a general melee,
but each intent upon killing his own ad-
versary 1t was fully an hour before the
irst warrior was Killed. red has at last
dispatched his black antagonist; and not
satisfied with killing him, he tears his
legs from his body and sewers his anien-
nae. After convincing himself that he Is
really dead. he looks around at the other
warriors which are still closely locked IN
their dreadful embrace, aud now he hur-
rics from one couple 70 another, as II to
see where his services are most needed.
He finds couple whose struggles are
nearly over-a black Is fastened with a
death-gTip to his adversary's fore-ieg.
The red hero soon sewers the head from
the black soldier, and leaves it hanging TO
the leg Of his dying comrade. Tie now
goes TO another couple who are still hercc-
IN contendlng; be seiEes the black, and
now all three roll and tumble about to-
gether: but the black Is soon killed, and,
as in the other case, his mandibes are
locked on his adversary's leg. But this
time our hero does not sever the head from
the black soldier, but leaves his comrade
10 free himself a. best be can, while be
goes TO the assistance Of third less for.
tunate brother. where the black seems to
have the better Of his antagonist. Here
lopg struggle ensues, and now another
rcd soldier has dispatched his opponent,
aud he comes 70 the struggling three,
moves about them in an excited manner,
with his maudibles stretched wide apart,
waiting his opportunity to fasten them
on the black; he finds his chance, seizes
him betwe~u the thorax and abdomen, and
sewers the body in two; but the dying
b.sck does not relax his hold Of the first
antagonist, and they die together.
I now leave the fierce combatants tor
the night. In the morning l find that
every black Is killed, and four red soldiers
are dead and two others can not long
survive. The legs and antenne and mu
tilated bodies Of the dead warriors are
strewn about, every fragment showing con-
spicuously on the white marble Out Of
the twenty, fourteen are dead and two
nearly lifeless-only four have survived.
l put some drops Of water and moisiened
sugar under the glass tor the surviving
heroes; two find the water and drink. |
now repair to the battlefield. The strug-
gle is over-not black to be seen, but
column Of the red invaders is emerging
from large cavity that leads to the num-
erous galleries and underground chambers
of these industrious blacks, and each in-
vader in carrying larvA or pupa. l fol-
low the column, whi,h is from tour TO five
inches in width, to the nest of red ants
before mentioned. There is a wide opep-
ing in the side OF this nest. down which
they all disappear and leave their burdens,
and again start for more plumber All
day long these powerful msrauders are
engaged IN this work. They carry lar
Va or pupa carefully, and drop 1t on being
disturbed. But what does this mean
Every little while a red warrior comes
out with black bundle, which he carries
as carefully as be does the pupa or larva
| stop him 10 inquire into the matter; he
drops his bundle, which Immediately IN
rolls, and loi it Is lively black ant, ap-
parently unhurt, and, to my eye, no way
different from the warrior with whom he
was 50 6ercely fighting.
The books which l have read on the
subject inform me that "the red ants car
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