Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-09-28
Slavery Among Insects.

4
The following singular faets are from
Newman's History Of 1nsects'' They
show that, even among creeping things,
might slbperts right, snd the strong ~.
fhnnize over the weak 1.-The most re.
markab'e fact connected with The history
OF ants, is the propensity possessed by cerr
tain species to kidnap the workers of other
species, and compel them to labor for the
benefit hf the community. thus using them
completely as slaves and, as fir n we yet
| know, tie kldnhppefs arc red or pae-to3--
| ored ants, md the slaves, like the capttf.
ed natives Of Africa urs Of iet back.
The time for taking slaves extends over ~
| period OF about ten weeks. aud never eon.
mences until the male aud fsnla e are.
about emerging from the pupa statr a,d
thus The ruthless ,Hafaliders never interfere
with the Sntlnuation Of tie species. phis
instinct seems specially provided; fer. were
the Save ants created for no other cfd than
o Dill the station Of slavery, to Which they
npPear 10 BE- dootUcd, sti !, even that office
mist fail, we're The attacks 10 be nude on.
their nest before the winged nyrla,ls nave
departed or are departing, charged with
the duty of continuing their kind. Wber
| the rcd ants are olout to sally forth on ~
rnarandlng expedition, they send sc1atsto
| ASCERTAIN the exact position in which,
co'opy OF negroes may he found These
scouts, having discovered the object Of
their search, return 10 the Dest and report
| their Success Shortly afterwards The
| army OF red ants marches forth headed By
vanguard, which is perpetually chang
ing, the individuals which constitute IT,.
when the laee advanced a little before the.
NAN body, half, falling into the rear, anf
being rep aced by others.
This vanguard consists Of eight or ten
ants only. When they have arrived near
the negro coony they di<perse, wandering
through tie heritage aud hunting about, nv
aware Of the propinqulfy Of the obiect Of
Fer search, yet ignorant Of H., exact posi-.
ton AT last they discover the settlement;
and the foremost Of the invaders, rushing
mpethousiy to the attack, a.e NET, erip-
ped with, and frequently killed by tile nc<
groes on gnard. The ntarfn is Quickly
communicated to the interior Of the nest:
the negroes raliy forth ty thousands and
the red ants rushing to the reScue Il des-
pera'e conflict epsue*, which, however al
ways terminate IN the defeat Of the ne.
gfoes, who retire to the jnnerrrost
feccsses Of their habitation Now follows
the scene of phlage. The red ants, with
Their powerful mandib'ef tear open The
sides OF the negro a,yt.iiiIls, and rush lDso
the hcad OF the citadel. III Il few minutes
each invader cmctges, carrying In 5fs meath
the papa OF q worker negro which IT has
obtained IN spite Of the Vigilance and vaIor
OF rs natural guardians. Tie red ANTS re.
turn 10 perfect order 10 their nest, bearihr
with them their living burdens. On reacl,4
ing Their nest, Tie pipe apVeatfs 10 lie trent.
ed precisely as their own; aud lie work.
ers, when they emerge, perform the var.
iols duties oi the community with the
greatest energy aud apparent good VIII.
Ihey repair the rest, excatate passages.
collect food, feed the Iafrc, take the ,almn
into the sunshine, and perform every office
which the welfare Of the Colony ~ ems u,
reqnife. Tiiey conduc. themselves entirely
as II fulfilling their original destination. y
70" Vonce. long viles ago, went
intos n1ine abb!e orchard to CLINE Lear
tree to- get some beaches TO nshe nv wow
blum budding init; aud vofi gefsto de
Iobesnost pfanch, sa..iis from de lower.
most limb, nit vone leg OF. both sides os
De ience, ard hkcs 20 shoec IGy outeiSe
IN ("