INSECT SLAVERY.

The most remarkable fact connected with the history of ants, is the propensity possessed by certain species to kidnap the workers of other species, and compel them to labor for the benefit of the community, thus using them completely as slaves; and, as far as we yet know, the kidnappers are red or pale-colored ants, and the slaves, like the ill-treated natives of Africa, are of a jet black. The time for capturing slaves extends over a period of about ten weeks, and never commences until the male and female are about emerging from the pupa state; and thus the ruthless marauders never interfere with the continuation of the species. When the red ants are about to sally forth on a marauding expedition, they send scouts to ascertain the exact position in which a colony of negroes may be found. These scouts having discovered the objects of their search, return to the nest and report their success. Shortly afterward, the army of red ants marches forth, headed by a vanguard, which is perpetually changing; the individuals which constitute it, when they advance a little before, are sent to the rear, and their places occupied by others. The vanguard consists of eight or ten ants only. When they have arrived near the negro colony, they disperse, wandering through the herbage and hunting about, as if aware of the propinquity of the object of their search, yet ignorant of its exact position. At last they discover the settlements, and the foremost of the invaders, rushing impetuously to the attack, are met, grappled with, and frequently killed by the negroes on guard. The alarm is quickly communicated to the interior of the nest; the negroes sally forth by thousands, and the red ants rushing to the rescue, a desperate conflict ensues, which, however, always terminates in the defeat of the negroes, who retire to the innermost recesses of their habitation. Now follows the scene of pillage. The red ants, with their powerful mandibles, tear open the sides of the ant-hills, and rush into the heart of the citadel. In a few minutes each invader emerges, carrying in its mouth the pupa of a worker negro, which it has obtained in spite of the vigilance and valor of its natural guardians. The red ants return in perfect order to their nests, bearing with them their living burdens. On reaching the nest the pupa appears to be treated precisely as their own; and the workers, when they emerge, perform the various duties of the community with the greatest energy and apparent good-will. They repair the nest, excavate passages, collect food, feed the larvæ, take the pupa into the sunshine, and perform every office which the welfare of the colony seems to require. They conduct themselves entirely as if fulfilling their original destination.

Transcriber’s Note

At [94.32], there is a paragraph preceding some verse which ends abruptly, without punctuation. It seems that the intent was to continue the thought with the first lines of the poem.

At [530.18], a closing quote mark occurs where there is no opening quote. The previous paragraph closes an extended quotation, which is not re-opened. It is difficult to say whether the ‘voice’ has shifted. In any case, the closing quote in question has been removed.

The word ‘bass-relief’ appears thirty-two times, while the more familiar ‘bas-relief’ appears only twice. Both versions have been retained.

Other errors deemed most likely to be the printer’s have been corrected, and are noted here. The references are to the page and line in the original.

[9.18]	an object must be seen[,]	Removed.
[26.17]	rate of eight[y]-six feet an hour	Added.
[28.2]	wholly disap[p]eared	Inserted.
[36.1]	mottled with black and[ and] white spots	Redundant.
[82.17]	Mauna Loa and Mauna [R/K]ea	Replaced.
[87.33]	In many [y/p]arts of the precipice	Replace.
[126.23]	by any sounding line[,/.]	Replaced.
[198.12]	carried on in Colebrook[ ]dale	Removed.
[230.17]	Earth’s universal family.[”]	Added.
[275.23]	[‘/“]the waterfall mountain,”	Replaced.
[289.1]	some of the savan[t]s	Inserted.
[317.17]	or St. Helmo’s fires	sic: Elmo’s.
[324.28]	I had thought a mere fable.[’/”]	Replaced.
[348.36]	from such a[ ]surface	Inserted.
[421.6]	four hund[d]red feet	Removed.
[427.27]	it ~~extreme length~~	Added.
[446.21]	fresh-water mus[cle/sel]s	Replaced.
[470.23]	the name of E[d/l] Hedjeaz	Probable.
[470.24]	the cities of Medi[an/na] and Taif	Transposed.
[511.15]	PYRAMIDS OF MERO[E/Ë]	Replaced.
[516.3]	so has it been forever!’[”]	Added.
[525.37]	and quitted them forever.[”]	Added.
[610.15]	in Agræ[./,]	Replaced.
[634.22]	these ancient piles.[”]	Added.
[649.35]	the f[ri/ir]th of Forth	Transposed.
[655.24]	On the top is a bas[o/i]n	Replaced.
[710.37]	[“]France, Belgium, Holland,	Added.
[798.27]	closed by the operator at will[.]	Restored.