The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-23

forth, the workers are almost constantly en-
gagged in supplying their wants and for.
wsTding their growth. Every evening, an
hour before sunset, they regularly remove
the whole brood las well as the eggs and
pupe,) 10 cells situated lower down ia the
earth, where they will be safe from cold
and in the morning they as Consistently
transport them again awards the surfac. Of
the nest---unless there be prospect Of cold
or Set weather. in which case they do not
remove them. When The rays Of the morn
ing sun first strike upon the nest, most
animated scene may be witnessed by the
observer The ants On the exterior are
the tirsi to feel the influence of The warmth;
they enter the nest run along the avenues
and galleries 10 the various chambeTs, and
communicate The intelligence 10 every ant
they meet-tapping their fellows gently
with their antenne, or, il this intimation
be not attended to, biting them sharply with
their mandibles. AT last the whole com.
munity seems W parlake of the excite
ment, aud each lsborer hen carefully takes
a Larvae or Pupe in ais mouth, conveys
il through all the winding passages to the
outside, places it outside. and places il in
a position TO catch the rays of the SUM-
The larva and pupa are seldom exposed
to its full glow for more than fifteen or
twenty minutes at time; they are then
conveyed into little cells constructed on The
exterior Of the lest for their reception,
where they are protected from tue direct
action Of the suns rays By slight cover.
ing of chaff, slubblo, or other Light sub.
stances. As the solar heat decreases in the
afternoon; the lsrva and pupa are again
fully exposed TO il for short season, az
before; and are then carefully returned one
by one, each into the identical chamber
from which il was brought in the morning;
after this, they are carefully fed by the
workers, who nOurish them with the food
they have collected during the day.
When the laIva have attained their full
growth, they spin cocoon, in which they
remain as pups, until the time Of theiI
final change. In this state. they are com
monty, but enormously, known under tbs
name of eggs" and being favorite srti
Gle Of food with pheasants and partridges,
they are eagerly sought for by persons who
make business of rearing these BIRDS
The cocOons containing the pupe ere of 9
Ions cy lindricsl form, and Of dizzy white
color; and the contained animals. them
selves are perfectly motionless. When
ready TO come forth as perfect ants, they
cannot, ike most ether insects, set them
selves free from their envelope; but they ere
dependent upon the assistance of the work
ers, who moisten it and cut it with theil
mandibles, and then gently draw forth the
contained body. The greatest care is be
slowed upon the winged ants--ttie perfec
males and fsmales--on which the eoatinu
| snce Of the race depends these are mos
sssiduously tended by the workers, who
cleanse their bodies, extend their wings
supply them with food, and accompany
them in their wanderings through the hive
A large number Of the winged ants are pro
duced every season in each community
and they may be frequently seen in tn,
autumn, covering almost the entire surface
Of the hillock. When mature, they issu,
forth on the wing: but aftea a short lima,
the females slight on the ground, and ar,
led by an extraordinary instinct TO depriv.
themselves Of their wings, which they Bit
OF; and they are h.ncefortb scarcely distin
guishsble in aspec; from the ordinary work
ers. The greater number Of them perist
ia various way; comparatively few only
remaining. either 10 Eoind new colonies, o,
TO keep up the population Of the PsrentaI
commonwealth. Sometimes the new col
ony Is commenced by the queen alone
who, like the queen.wasP, eIcayatss iol
herself the 6rst chambers OF the future resi-
dence, and lays the eggs, feeds the lsrv@
and tends the pupa, without any assistance
until the workers that have first come 10
maturity aid Der in the extension Of lheil
dwelling and ia the requisite attentions &c
the subsequent progeny. In other instances
the queen falls in with a few workers that
have wandered, at this period Of excite.
ment, 10 an unusual distance from the nest;
and if so, they either unite their Iaters with
hers in founding new colony, OF they
bring her back TO their original home.
There are two points in the history OF
ants, which ara nearly, If nst quite pecu-
liar to the tribe One of these is the habit
of certain species to enslape ants Of dif.
ferent species; the other Is their habit OF
making use OF an entirely different tribe,
the aphides '(Or plant lice) % purvey and
prepare their food for them. .5
The kidnapping habit hs. been chiefly
observed IN the red ants; those which are
enslayed being of Jet black. The time
for capturing slaves extends over a period
Of about ten weeks. and never commences
until the male and female ants are about
coming forth iropa the pupa state; and thus
the maranders never interfere with the con.
tinuation OF the race CT the tribes they sub.
jugate. This appears TO be special adap.
tation of their peculiar instinct; for il the
attacks were made ca The nests of the ne
gro ants las they have been called before
those by whom the race is propsgated are
ready 70 shift for themselves, these com.
munities must speedily become extinct
When the red anls are about 10 sally forth
on a marauding expedition. they send
scouts TO ascertain the exact position in
which colony OF negro ants mag be found;
these scouts, having discovered the object
of their search, return TO tho nest, and seem
TO report their success. Shortly after.
wards, the army Of red ants marches FORTH.
headed by vanguard composed OF eight