the naturalist on the river amazons-第90部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　upon　the　same　army；　engaged；　evidently；　on　a　razzia　of　a　similar　kind　to　that　of　the　previous　evening；　but　requiring　other　resources　of　their　instinct；　owing　to　the　nature　of　the　wound。　They　were　eagerly　occupied　on　the　face　of　an　inclined　bank　of　light　earth；　in　excavating　mines；　whence；　from　a　depth　of　eight　or　ten　inches；　they　were　extracting　the　bodies　of　a　bulky　species　of　ant；　of　the　genus　Formica。　It　was　curious　to　see　them　crowding　around　the　orifices　of　the　mines；　some　assisting　their　comrades　to　lift　out　the　bodies　of　the　Formicae；　and　others　tearing　them　in　pieces；　on　account　of　their　weight　being　too　great　for　a　single　Eciton　a　number　of　carriers　seizing　each　a　fragment；　and　carrying　it　off　down　the　slope。　On　digging　into　the　earth　with　a　small　trowel　near　the　entrances　of　the　mines；　I　found　the　nests　of　the　Formicae；　with　grubs　and　cocoons；　which　the　Ecitons　were　thus　invading；　at　a　depth　of　about　eight　inches　from　the　surface。　The　eager　freebooters　rushed　in　as　fast　as　I　excavated；　and　seized　the　ants　in　my　fingers　as　I　picked　them　out；　so　that　I　had　some　difficulty　in　rescuing　a　few　intact　for　specimens。　In　digging　the　numerous　mines　to　get　at　their　prey；　the　little　Ecitons　seemed　to　be　divided　into　parties；　one　set　excavating；　and　another　set　carrying　away　the　grains　of　earth。　When　the　shafts　became　rather　deep；　the　mining　parties　had　to　climb　up　the　sides　each　time　they　wished　to　cast　out　a　pellet　of　earth；　but　their　work　was　lightened　for　them　by　comrades；　who　stationed　themselves　at　the　mouth　of　the　shaft；　and　relieved　them　of　their　burthens；　carrying　the　particles；　with　an　appearance　of　foresight　which　quite　staggered　me；　a　sufficient　distance　from　the　edge　of　the　hole　to　prevent　them　from　rolling　in　again。　All　the　work　seemed　thus　to　be　performed　by　intelligent　cooperation　among　the　host　of　eager　little　creatures；　but　still　there　was　not　a　rigid　division　of　labour；　for　some　of　them；　whose　proceedings　I　watched；　acted　at　one　time　as　carriers　of　pellets；　and　at　another　as　miners；　and　all　shortly　afterwards　assumed　the　office　of　conveyors　of　the　spoil。

In　about　two　hours；　all　the　nests　of　Formicae　were　rifled；　though　not　completely；　of　their　contents；　and　I　turned　towards　the　army　of　Ecitons；　which　were　carrying　away　the　mutilated　remains。　For　some　distance　there　were　many　separate　lines　of　them　moving　along　the　slope　of　the　bank　but　a　short　distance　off；　these　all　converged；　and　then　formed　one　close　and　broad　column；　which　continued　for　some　sixty　or　seventy　yards；　and　terminated　at　one　of　those　large　termitariums　or　hillocks　of　white　ants　which　are　constructed　of　cemented　material　as　hard　as　stone。　The　broad　and　compact　column　of　ants　moved　up　the　steep　sides　of　the　hillock　in　a　continued　stream；　many；　which　had　hitherto　trotted　along　empty…　handed；　now　turned　to　assist　their　comrades　with　their　heavy　loads；　and　the　whole　descended　into　a　spacious　gallery　or　mine；　opening　on　the　top　of　the　termitarium。　I　did　not　try　to　reach　the　nest；　which　I　supposed　to　lie　at　the　bottom　of　the　broad　mine；　and　therefore；　in　the　middle　of　the　base　of　the　stony　hillock。

Eciton　drepanophora。The　commonest　species　of　foraging　ants　are　the　Eciton　hamata　and　E。　drepanophora；　two　kinds　which　resemble　each　other　so　closely　that　it　requires　attentive　examination　to　distinguish　them；　yet　their　armies　never　intermingle；　although　moving　in　the　same　woods　and　often　crossing　each　other's　tracks。　The　two　classes　of　workers　look；　at　first　sight；　quite　distinct；　on　account　of　the　wonderful　amount　of　difference　between　the　largest　individuals　of　the　one；　and　the　smallest　of　the　other。　There　are　dwarfs　not　more　than　one…fifth　of　an　inch　in　length；　with　small　heads　and　jaws；　and　giants　half　an　inch　in　length　with　monstrously　enlarged　head　and　jaws；　all　belonging　to　the　same　brood。　There　is　not；　however；　a　distinct　separation　of　classes；　individuals　existing　which　connect　together　the　two　extremes。　These　Ecitons　are　seen　in　the　pathways　of　the　forest　at　all　places　on　the　banks　of　the　Amazons；　travelling　in　dense　columns　of　countless　thousands。　One　or　other　of　them　is　sure　to　be　met　with　in　a　woodland　ramble；　and　it　is　to　them；　probably；　that　the　stories　we　read　in　books　on　South　America　apply；　of　ants　clearing　houses　of　vermin；　although　I　heard　of　no　instance　of　their　entering　houses；　their　ravages　being　confined　to　the　thickest　parts　of　the　forest。

When　the　pedestrian　falls　in　with　a　train　of　these　ants；　the　first　signal　given　him　is　a　twittering　and　restless　movement　of　small　flocks　of　plain…coloured　birds　（ant…thrushes）　in　the　jungle。　If　this　be　disregarded　until　he　advances　a　few　steps　farther；　he　is　sure　to　fall　into　trouble；　and　find　himself　suddenly　attacked　by　numbers　of　the　ferocious　little　creatures。　They　swarm　up　his　legs　with　incredible　rapidity；　each　one　driving　his　pincer…like　jaws　into　his　skin；　and　with　the　purchase　thus　obtained；　doubling　in　its　tail；　and　stinging　with　all　its　might。　There　is　no　course　left　but　to　run　for　it；　if　he　is　accompanied　by　natives　they　will　be　sure　to　give　the　alarm；　crying　〃Tauoca！〃　and　scampering　at　full　speed　to　the　other　end　of　the　column　of　ants。　The　tenacious　insects　who　have　secured　themselves　to　his　legs　then　have　to　be　plucked　off　one　by　one；　a　task　which　is　generally　not　accomplished　without　pulling　them　in　twain；　and　leaving　heads　and　jaws　sticking　in　the　wounds。

The　errand　of　the　vast　ant…armies　is　plunder；　as　in　the　case　of　Eciton　legionis；　but　from　their　moving　always　amongst　dense　thickets；　their　proceedings　are　not　so　easy　to　observe　as　in　that　species。　Wherever　they　move；　the　whole　animal　world　is　set　in　commotion；　and　every　creature　tries　to　get　out　of　their　way。　But　it　is　especially　the　various　tribes　of　wingless　insects　that　have　cause　for　fear；　such　as　heavy…bodied　spiders；　ants　of　other　species；　maggots；　caterpillars；　larvae　of　cockroaches　and　so　forth；　all　of　which　live　under　fallen　leaves；　or　in　decaying　wood。　The　Ecitons　do　not　mount　very　high　on　trees；　and　therefore　the　nestlings　of　birds　are　not　much　incommoded　by　them。　The　mode　of　operation　of　these　armies；　which　I　ascertained　only　after　long…continued　observation；　is　as　follows：　the　main　column；　from　four　to　six　deep；　moves　forward　in　a　given　direction；　clearing　the　ground　of　all　animal　matter　dead　or　alive；　and　throwing　off　here　and　there　a　thinner　column　to　forage　for　a　short　time　on　the　flanks　of　the　main　army；　and　re…enter　it　again　after　their　task　is　accomplished。　If　some　very　rich　place　be　encountered　anywhere　near　the　line　of　march；　for　example；　a　mass　of　rotten　wood　abounding　in　insect　larvae；　a　delay　takes　place；　and　a　very　strong　force　of　ants　is　concentrated　upon　it。　The　excited　creatures　search　every　cranny　and　tear　in　pieces　all　the　large　grubs　they　drag　to　light。　It　is　curious　to　see　them　attack　wasps'　nests；　which　are　sometimes　built　on　low　shrubs。　They　gnaw　away　the　papery　covering　to　get　at　the　larvae；　pupae；　and　newly…　hatched　wasps；　and　cut　everything　to　tatters；　regardless　of　the　infuriated　owners　which　are　flying　about　them。　In　bearing　off　their　spoil　in　fragments；　the　pieces　are　apportioned　to　the　carriers　with　some　degree　of　regard　to　fairness　of　load：　the　dwarfs　taking　the　smallest　pieces；　and　the　strongest　fellows　with　small　heads　the　heaviest　portions。　Sometimes　two　ants　join　together　in　carrying　one　piece；　but　the　worker…majors；　with　their　unwieldy　and　distorted　jaws；　are　incapacitated　from　taking　any　part　in　the　labour。　The　armies　never　march　far　on　a　beaten　path；　but　seem　to　prefer　the　entangled　thickets　where　it　is　seldom　possible　to　follow　them。　I　have　traced　an　army　sometimes　for　half　a　mile　or　more；　but　was　never　able　to　find　one　that　had　finished　its　day's　course　and　returned　to　its　hive。　Indeed；　I　never　met　with　a　hive；　whenever　the　Ecitons　were　seen；　they　were　always　on　the　march。

I　thought　one　day；　at　Villa　Nova；　that　I　had　come　upon　a　migratory　horde　of　this　indefatigable　ant。　The　place　was　a　tract　of　open　ground　near　the　river　side；　just　outside　the　edge　of　the　forest；　and　surrounded　by　rocks　and　shrubbery。　A　dense　column　of　Ecitons　was　seen　extending　from　the　rocks　on　one　side　of　the　little　haven；　traversing　the　open　space；　and　ascending　the　opposite　declivity。　The　length　of　the　procession　was　from　sixty　to　seventy　yards；　and　yet　neither　van　nor　rear　was　visible。　All　were　moving　in　one　and　the　same　direction；　except　a　few　individuals　on　the　outside　of　the　column；　which　were　running　rearward；　trotting　along　for　a　short　distance；　and　then　turning　again　to　follow　the　same　course　as　the　main　body。　But　these　rearward　movements　were　going　on　continually　from　one　end　to　the　other　of　the　line；　and　there　was　every　appearance　of　there　being　a　means　of　keeping　up　a　common　understanding　amongst　all　the　members　of　the　army；　for　the　retrograding　ants　stopped　very　often　for　a　moment　to　touch　one　or　other　of　their　onward…moving　comrades　with　their　antennae　a　proceeding　which　has　been　noticed　in　other　ants；　and　supposed　to　be　their　mode　of　conveying　intelligence。　When　I　interfered　with　the　column　or　abstracted　an　individual　from　it；　news　of　the　disturbance　was　very　quickly　communicated　to　a　distance　of　several　yards　towards　the　rear；　and　the　column　at　that　point　commenced　retreating。　All　the　small…　headed　workers　carried　in　their　jaws　a　little　cluster　of　white　maggots；　which　I　thought　at　the　time；　might　be　young　larvae　of　their　own　colony；　but　afterwards　found　reason　to　conclude　were　the　grubs　of　some　other　species　whose　nests　they　had　been　plundering；　the　procession　being　most　likely　not　a　migration；　but　a　column　on　a　marauding　expedition。

The　position　of　the　large…headed　individuals　in　the　marching　column　was　rather　curious。　There　was　one　of　these　extraordinary　fellows　to　about　a　score　of　the　smaller　class。　None　of　them　carried　anything　in　their　mouths；　but　all　trotted　along　empty…　handed　and　outside　the　column；　at　pretty　regular　intervals　from　each　other；　like　subaltern　officers　in　a　marching　regiment　of　soldiers。　It　was　easy　to　be　tolerably　exact　in　this　observation；　for　their　shining　white　heads　made　them　very　conspicuous　amongst　the　rest；　bobbing　up　and　down　as　the　column　passed　over　the　inequalities　of　the　road。　I　did　not　see　them　change　their　position；　or　take　any　notice　of　their　small…h