San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-01-12
STRATEGY VS.. STRENGTH
Interesting Combat Between a Saud.Ho,.
an Army OF Ants. "et an
From Harper's Magazine.

From Harper's Magazine
The sand-hornet is the creates, =,
lain that flies on insect wings. and y VIZ !!
built for professional murderer I ms
carries two keen cimeters besidoa &c
deadly poisoned poinard, and ia arm
throughout with an invulnerable COO, o :,
mail. He has things all his own wavi
he lives life of tyranny and feeds VI
blood. There are few birds ~ ~ ~
/ know of-that care to swallow snch a'
red!hot morsel. 1t is said that NOT evos
the butcher bankers after b;s
The toad will not touch him, seem;u.
to know by instinct what sort of cha;p
lightning he contains. Among insect,
this hornet is the happy eagle, snS
nearly all of them are at his maro,
Even the cicada, or drumming barvss.
fly, an insect often larger and heav;ss
than himself, is his very common viz
tim. Considering these characteristic
it was of especial interest to witness
such an incident as have pictured
where one of these huge tyrants vas
actually captured and overpowered bS
the strategy of three black ants.
I had left the meadow, and was 90.
cendjng spur of the mountain by tia
edge of pine wood, when suddenly !
espied the hornet in question almost a.
my feet. He Immediately took to WING
and as he flew ahead of me observsS,
long pendent object dangling from
his body. The incumbrance proved ton
great an obstacle for continuous flight
and he soon dropped again upon tbs
path rod or so in advance of me. I
overlook him, and on close inspection
discovered a plucky black ant clutchipo
tightly with his teeth upon the hind.
foot of his captive, while with its two
hind-legs it chung desperately to long
cluster of pine needles which it carried
as a dead weight. No sooner did the
hornet touch the groupd than the ant
begun to tug and yell for help. There
were certainly evidences to warrant
such a belief, for second ant immedi.
ately appeared upon the scene, emery.
ing from a neighboring thicket of pine
tree moss. He was too late, however,
for the hornet again sought escape in
flight. But this attempt was even more
futile than the former, for that plucky
little assailant had now laid hold of an.
other impeachment, and this time not
only the long pine needles, but small
branched stick, also, went swinging
through the air. Only yard or so was
covered in this flight; and as the ant
still yelled for re-enforcements, it's COM
panion again appeared, and pushed
upon the common foe with such furious
zeal that felt like patting him on the
back. The whole significance of the
scene he had taken in at glance, and
in an instant he had O wise like grip
upon the other hind leg. Now came
the final tug of war. The hornet tried
to rise, but this second passenger was
too much for him; he could only buzz
along the ground, dragging his load
after him, while his new assailant clutch.
ed desperately at everything within its
reach, now direct leaf, now tiny
stone, and even overturning an acorn
cup in its grasp. Finally, small
rough stick the size of match was
and this proved the "last
straw" In vain were the struggles Of
escape. The hornet could do no more
han lift his body from the ground.
He rolled, and kicked, and tumbled,
out to no purpose, except to make it
yery lively for his captors; and the
TRUSTS of that lively dagger were vast
I'd on the desert air, for whether or not
hose ants knew its searching propensi-
les, they certainly managed to keep
lear of this busy extremity.
How long this pell- battle would
lave lasted 1 know not, for third ant
low appeared, and it was astonishing
o see him; with every movement Of
he hornet, he in turn would lay hold
# third stick, and at the same time
lutch upon those pine needles to add
heir impeachment to the burden of his
wn body.
Practically the ants had won the VIC
Dry, but what they intended to DO
nth. the foundering elephant in their
ands seemed a problem. But it was
0 them only question of patience
hey had now pinned their victim Sc
urely, and held him to await assist
nee. It came. The entire neighbor'
God had been appraised of the battle,
nd in less than five minutes the ground
with an army of re-enforce-
,ents. They came from all directions;
hey pitched upon that hornet with ter
IDLE ferocity, and his complete destruc-
on was only a question of moments