odes. Even at rest and at home, the army ants
are always prepared, for every quiescent individual in the swarm was
standing as erect as possible, with jaws widespread and ready, whether
the great curved mahogany scimitars of the soldiers, or the little
black daggers of the smaller workers. And with no eyelids to close,
and eyes which were themselves a mockery, the nerve shriveling and
never reaching the brain, what could sleep mean to them? Wrapped ever
in an impenetrable cloak of darkness and silence, life was yet one
great activity, directed, ordered, commanded by scent and odor alone.
Hour after hour, as I sat close to the nest, I was aware of this odor,
sometimes subtle, again wafted in strong successive waves. It was
musty, like something sweet which had begun to mold; not unpleasant,
but very difficult to describe; and in vain I strove to realize the
importance of this faint essence--taking the place of sound, of
language, of color, of motion, of form.

I recovered quickly from my first rapt realization, for a dozen ants
had lost no time in ascending my shoes, and, as if at a preconcerted
signal, all simultaneously sank their jaws into my person. Thus
strongly recalled to the realities of life, I realized the opportunity
that was offered and planned for my observation. No living thing could
long remain motionless within the sphere of influence of these
six-legged Boches, and yet I intended to spend days in close
proximity. There was no place to hang a hammock, no overhanging tree
from which I might suspend myself spider-wise. So I sent Sam for an
ordinary chair, four tin cans, and a bottle of disinfectant. I filled
the tins with the tarry fluid, and in four carefully timed rushes I
placed the tins in a chair-leg square. The fifth time I put the chair
in place beneath the nest, but I had misjudged my distances and had to
retreat with only two tins in place. Another effort, with Spartan-like
disregard of the fiery bites, and my haven was ready. I hung a bag of
vials, notebook, and lens on the chairback, and, with a final rush,
climbed on the seat and curled up as comfortably as possible.

All around the tins, swarming to the very edge of the liquid, were the
angry hosts. Close to my face were the lines ascending and descending,
while just above me were hundreds of thousands, a bushel-basket of
army ants, with only the strength of their threadlike legs as
suspension cables. It took some time to get used to my enviro