ed a
full view of the operations of the termites, and for a long time he sat
watching them with interest. He could see that it was not the same set
that were always on the carcasses of the ais. On the contrary, one host
were always leaving the spot, while another took their places, and from
the great conical houses fresh bands appeared to issue. In fact, two
great parallel belts of them, like army columns, stretched from the
"hills" to the ais, going in opposite directions. Those which travelled
towards the cells presented a very different appearance to the others.
These were loaded with pieces of torn flesh, or skin with tufts of hair
adhering to it; and each ant carried a piece by far larger than its own
body. Their bodies, in fact, were quite hidden under their
disproportionate burdens. The others--those which were coming from the
conical hills--were empty-handed, and presented the appearance of a
whitish stream flowing along the surface of the ground!

It was a most singular sight; and Leon sat watching the creatures until
his head was giddy, and he felt as though the ground itself was in
motion.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

THE PUMA AND THE GREAT ANT-BEAR.

All at once the attention of the boy was called away from the crawling
millions. A rustling among some dead leaves was heard. It appeared to
proceed from the edge of the glade, not far from the ant-hills. The
branches of the underwood were seen to move, and the next moment a
slender cylindrical object, about a foot and a half in length, was
protruded out from the leaves. Had there not been a pair of small eyes
and ears near the farther end of this cylindrical object, no one would
have taken it for the head and snout of an animal. But Leon saw the
little sparkling black eyes, and he therefore conjectured that it was
some such creature. The next moment the body came into view, and a
singular creature it was. It was about the size of a very large
Newfoundland dog, though of a different shape. It was covered all over
with long brownish hair, part of which looked so coarse as to resemble
dry grass or bristles. On each shoulder was a wide stripe of black,
bordered with whitish bands; and the tail, which was full three feet
long, was clothed with a thick growth of coarse hair, several inches in
length, that looked like strips of whalebone. This was carried aloft,
and curving over the back. But the most curious feature of the animal
was its snout. T