Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-08-10
SLAt EsANTS.

The most remarkable fact connected
with the history Of ants is the propensity
possessed by certain species 10 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 coIOrcd ants, and the slaves,
like the llI-treated natives of Africa, are
Of Jet black.
The time for capturing slaves extends
over period Of about ten weeks, and re-
yer commences until the male and female
ants are about emerging from the pup@
state; and thus the ruthless marauders ne
yer interfere with the continuation Of the
species. This instinct seems specially
provided; for were the slave-ants created
for no o,her end than TO ell the station OF
slavery TO which they appear to be DOOM
ed. still even that officer must fail were
the attacks to be made on their nests be-
fore the winged mvriads have departed, or
are departing, charged with the duty Of
continuing their kind.
When the red ants are about to sally
forth on marauding expedition, they send
scouts 10 ascertain the exact position in
which a colony OF negroes may be found;
these scouts having discovered the object
of their search, return to the nest and re-
port their success. Shortly afterwards,
the army Of red ants marches forth, head
ed by a vanguard, which is pcrpetualy
changing; the individuals which constitute
it, when they have advanced little before
the nam body, hating, falling into the rear
and being replaced by others: this van
guard consisted Of eight or ten ants only.
When they have arrived near the negro CO.
Iony, they dispense, wandering through the
heritage and hunfing about, as aware Of
the propnquity ofthc object Of their search,
an yet ignorant Of its exact position. At
last they discover the settlement; and the
foremost Of the invaders. rushing mpetu-
ouSIy to the attack, are met, grapplcd with,
and frequently killed, by the negroes on
guard: the alarm is quickly communicated
to the interior Of the nest; the negroes sal
ly forth by thousands; and the red ants
rushing to the rescue, q desperate conflict
cnsucs; which, however terminates in the
defeat Of the negroes, who retire to the in
ncrmost recessos Of their habitation. Now
follows the scene Of pilage: the red auts
with their powerful manibcs tear open the
sides Of the negro ant-hlI, and rush into
the heart Of the citadel; in few minutes,
each Of the invaders lmmcrge, carrying in
lis mouth the pupn Of a worker negro,
which it has obtained in spite Of the yigi-
lance and vaIor of its natural guardians.
The red ants return in perfect order to
their nest, bearing with them their iivirg
burdens. On reaching the nest, the pupa
appears to be treated precisely as their
own, aud the workers when they emerge,
perform the various duties of the commu-
nifty, with the greatest energy and appa
rent good will; they repair the nest, exca-
vate passages, collect food, tccd the Larvae,
take the pupD into the sunshine, and per-
form every office which the welfare ofthc
colony seems to require; in fact they con-
duct themselves entirely as if fulfilling
their original destination.