The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-12-09
From "Philosohhy Of Natural History"
FIGHTING ANTS o.. AFRICA.


FIGHTING ANTS OF AFRICA.
The following account OF the fighting Ants
of Africa, and their conduct when their habi-
tations are attacked, is taken from review
in the N. American of the above mentioned
work.
"When breach is made in one of the
hills, the first object that attracts attention is
the behaviour Of the soldiers, or fighting in
sects. Immediately after the blow is given,
soldier comes out, walks about the breach,
and seems to examine the nature of the enc
my and the cause of the attack. He then goes
into the hill, gives the alarm, and i'll short
time large bodies rush out as fast as the
breach will permit. 1t is not easy to des-
cribe the fury these insects discover. In
their eagerness to repel the enemy, they fire.
Quently tumble down the sides of the hill
but recover themselves very quickly, aud
bite every thing they encounter. This bite
ing, joined to the striking of their forccps up
on the building, makes cracking or vibra-
ing noise, which is somewhat shrillcr and
quicker than the ticking OF watch, and may
be heard at the distance of three or four feet.
While the attack proceeds, they are in the
most violent hustle. and asitation.--if they
get hold of any part of a mans body, they
instantly make wound, which discharges as
much blood as is equal to their own weight
When they attack the leg, the stain OF blood
upon the stocking extends more than an inch
in width. They make their hooked jaws
meet at the first stroke, and never quit their
hold but suffer themselves to be pulled away
leg by leg, and piece by piece, without the
smallest attempt to escape. On the other
hand, if person keeps out OF their reach,
and gives them no further disturbance, in less
than half an hour they retire into their nest,
as if they supposed that the wounderiaI
monster that damaged their castle had lied.
Before the whole OF the soldiers have got In,
the labouring insects are all Ill MOTION, and
hasten towards the branch, each OF them
having a quantity of mortar in his mouth.
This mortar they stick upon the branch as
fast as they arrive, and preform the opera
tion with so much despatch and facility, that
notwithstanding the immensty of their NUM-
bers, they never stop or embarrass one an
other-During this scene Of apparent hurry
and confusion, the spectator is agrccablY
surprised, when lie perceives regular wall
gradually arising and filing the chasm.
While the laborcrs are thus employed, al
most all the soldiers remain within, except
here and there one, who sauntcrs about a
mong 500 or a thousand laborers, but never
touches the mortar.-One soldier, however
always takes his saton close to the wall that
the labourers are building. This soldier turns
: himselfleisurely on all sides, and at intervals
of minute or two, raises his head, beats
upon the building with his forceps aid makes
the vibrating noise formerly mentioned. A
loud hiss instantly issues from the inside Of
the dome and all the subterranean caverns
or passages. That this hiss proceeds from
the laborers is apparent, for at every signal
Of this kind, they work with redou5!ed
quickness and alacrity.--A renewal of the
attack, however, instantly changes the scene.
On the first stroke, the laborers run into the
many pipes and galleries with which the bull
ding is perforated, which they do so quickly
that they seem to vanish; for, III a few seconds
all are gone and the soldiers rush ont as nu-
merous and vindictivc as before. On find
ing no enemy, they return again leisurely int
the hill, and very soon after the laboreis ap
pear as at first, as active and as sedulous
with soldiers here and there among them
who act Just in the same manner, one ol
other of them giving the signal to hasten tht
business. Thus the pleasure of seeing them
come out to work or to fight, alternately
may be obtained as often as curiosity excite,
or time permits and it will be found, that
the one order never attempts to fight, MOI
the other to work, let the emergency bI
ever so great"