The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-04-13

formic acid which produces the pleasant |
sour odor when the ant-hill is stirred up,
and which is procured by druggists for
medicinal purposes. This acid substance !
may be obtained by putting a certain
quantity of ants into q bag, placing the
bag under a press, and squeezing out
their fluids, but it may also be obtained
by a much easier chemical process. This
formic acid changes vegetable blue to red
so that if ants pass over larkspur, borage,
or other blue flowers, and discharge any
of their fluid substance upon them, their
color will be changed INTO red.
In the ant-hills among the pine woods
we very commonly find little resinous
cakes, formed like pebble stones, which,
like other building materials, are carried
into their dwellings by the ants. This
substance, saturated with the formac acid,
is very similar to the so-called franklin
cense, used in churches as we'll rs private
houses as perfume, because when put
upon lighted coal its smoke emits pleas
ant, amber-like odor, somewhat re-
sembling that of frankincense, but which
is undoubtedly due to the presence of
formic acid, with which this resinous sub
stance is impregnated by the ants. The
true trankincense, (Olibanum. Libanus
thnrifera, is brought from Central India,
and is obtained from the resinous juice Of
q tree called Browellia serrata. This
resin is used in India not only for its per-
fumc. but Us pitch, when boiled with oil,
for pitching the bottoms of ships; and in
medicine for its stimulant, astringent, and
diaphoretic properties The formic was
first discovered about a century ago, by
the German chemist, Marggraf, in Ber-
lin, and is now artificially prepared by
distllation for its medicinal purposes, as
we'll as for its perfume when burned.
Many curious and interesting phenom-
ena have been observed in connection
with the habits and customs Of the ants,
u few Of which we must notice in this
place. In the pleasant evenings of the
month Of August there are often seen
sWarms of male and female rising in
large columns perpendicular into the air,
ascending and descending in large masses,
and after thus maneuvring for time,
they come down to the ground, lose their
wings, and die, rs soon rs the females
have deposited their eggs in the hills,
and left them in charge of the workers.
These flying columns of ants sometimes
appear like u mass Of thick smoke, and
have often been seen in such numbers as
to alarm many people, who supposed
some building was on fire at distance.
| But the closest observations have been
made, and the most wonderful phenom-
ena have been Witnessed when the ant
| hills have been placed under 4 glass box,
| where all their movements could be dis
tinctly watched. The high degree of in
telligencc which these little creatures dis
| play under such circumstances has never
| failed to excite the wonder and admira
ton of every observer. Looking at the
ants through such a glass box, we see
here and there q female, accompanied by
some Of the workers, running along drop
ping her eggs, which are Immediately
taken up by her attendants and carried
away. These eggs are OF an oval form,
milk-white, very small, and Opaque; but
| by and by they become larger, growing
like the eggs of the gall-wasp, and then
they become transparent, when a black
| spot may be seen in the centre of each,
which is the embryo of the future ant.
| These eggs will all dry up and perish it
the workers are removed; for in order
to be developed, they must be continually
| moistened with the saliva of the worker !;
and so even in insect life, the sweat OF the
laborer becomes the source of plenty and
prosperity With this nourishing care the
eggs teen with life, and in about two
weeks the maggOt is hatched, which is
transparent, but without feet or antennn.
The ants are proverbially an industri-
Gus race, and when the first rays OF the
morning sun fall upon the ant hill those
on the outside run hastily within, rousing
the sumberers, touching all those that
are inside the hill with their antennp,
pressing and pushing them until the whole
population is in motion. The lazy ones
and the ones that move too slow are seized
with the Jaws and carried up to the top of
the hill, rs well rs the maggots and pap;e
Of the nurseries, where they are all ex-
posed to the suns rays about quarter of
IN hour, after which they are carried
down under the first stratum and there
fed.
We may receive still greater evidence
of their intelligence if we observe their
language or signs If the ants on the
outside of the hill are disturbed by strange
ants, part Of them will put themselves in
an offensive and defensive position, while
others will run into the hill and alarm
those within, who then come rushing out
to assist their brethren in attacking the
foe, while guardians of the nurseries carry
the maggots and pupe to the lowest part
of the ant-hill tor greater security.
SO, if one but discovers q closet where
there are sweet articles, such as fruit or
sugar, it quickly returns to its fellows for
the purpose OF acquainting them of its
discovery, and in Il very short time whole
swarms Of them will arrive with the dis
covercr to divide the spols. They go out
in companies, also. to drink, of which
they are very fond; bur if one of them is
disturbed in 50 doing he communicates
the fact to all the rest by pushing the one
nearest him who passes on the news in
the same way 10 all the rest, when all
receiving the sign run to the hill but if
any one is not attentive to such admoni-
ton. he is seized by the leg and dragged
to the hill. In general, they give signs
to one another in all their operations by
their angular or elbowed antenna, which
works somewhat like the old French tele-
graph. With their antennn they also ex-
press their friendship and love, as we
may see when we observe them caressing
one another, or their friends the plant