The evening call., 1893-06-13
WARRIOR ANTS.

1t was at Honduras, near th'
Caribbean coast, while on govern
ment survey, that | first saw th
warrior ants-those strange insect
whicn march through the tropica
: forests in armies, attacking ever.
living creature in their path
One intensely hot day. as l sar
swinging idly in hammock under
the thatched roof Of my bamboo hut
native came running in, and witt
excited gestures, bade me follow him
! did so, wonderingly, and going
out into the open, looked in the
direction he indicated.
There on the rolling savanna
stretched wide black belt extend
ing far back into the deep shadows OF
the adjacent forest. It rose and fell
with every formation of the ground,
and, like huge snake, slowly crept
toward the village
1.-The warrior ants, explained the
native in a strange patois of English
and Spanish, which I shall not at
tempt to initiate. 'They will soon
be here" he continued; 'you had bet
ter unite your dogs or the ants will
kill them" w.
Acting upon his advice loosed my
dogs; and retiring to safe distance,
watched the approach Of the warriors.
In. countless multitudes they
swarmed over the plain. marching in
compact order like a well-drilled
army. Before them scurried a hotter
ogenhous mass of lizards, grasshop-
pers, frogs, beetles and all other man
ner of insects and reptiles in a wild
scammer to escape to a place of
safety.
Presently the advance guard
reached my hut and disappeared
within, then the main column ap-
peared, and soon the roof, floor, walls
and rafters were black with them.
Like the'soft rustic of dried grass
stirred by.a gentle breeze came the
sound of their presence in the leaves
Of my thatched roof
The sound increased in loudneSs as
e'rats, mice, lizards, cockroaches,
centipedeS and others of their ilk,
who had long made the roof their
home, tried vainly to escape Some
succeeded in getting away from the
house, but DULY to fall victims to the
surrounding hort1es without.
One large eockrQach, / noticed,
made pIucky fight, but overpow-
cred by numbers. he gradually re-
laxed his, efforts and was soon dis
membered, each ant carrying off
portion Of his body as trophy.
THE most exciting battle was with
a snake about three feet long. that |
tried to slip away unseen. The ants |
quickly surrounded him, however,
and fought with terrific ferocity.
With every switch Of his tail the |
snake killed score Of his torment i
ors, but their places were soon filled |
by the black swarm which swept un-
ceaSinglY on.
Finally the writings of the snake
became fainter and fainter, ard at
last ceased entirely. and then, and
not until then, did the ants relin-
quish their attack.
All day long they marched through
the house. until at sundown the end
Of the column had passed and was
lost to view in the thickness of the
forest
L entered my house and prepared
TO survey ruefully my larder, but nv
of sorrow were prelna-
ture, Tor there were all my provisions
as | had left them-untouched.
There was but one exception
poor turtle which l had tied to 4
stake that morning, intending to
keep him alive for few days before
making him into soup He was stone
dead, but the rumpled earth about
him showed that he had made hard
fight for life.
Not dead ant was TO be seen:
they had all been carried of By their
/
| afterward learned that the war
riOr ants refuse TO touch any food
that they themselves have not caught !
and slain, which accounted for nv
provisions remaining unmolested
| was overjoYed at the change in
my house-not cockroach, lizard or ,
any other insect or reptile was left: :
they had been completely extermin-
ated.
Ny second experience with warrior !
ants was not attended by such pleas
mt results
had been hunting all day in the !
Tast forest with fairly good luck. but
Is dusk approached ! found that in
ny enthusiasm / was practically ,
oSL ,
Dreading the possibility ai having :
70 remain all night in the forest !
my pablo mosquito nett |
ooked around for a point OF vantage
rom which 70 survey the surround, 2
ng country and get my bearings /
Selecting z tall cabbage naln traa ;