Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-11-29
ANTS.

one to, the other frO-black. bodied. six
legged, with a most determined aspect
and an almost forbidding look ([ forgo
to mention that there was a magnifyinl
glass in my handy. Apparently each and
all were much pressed for time they
hurried along singly, none speaking tc
his ncighbor, each seeming intent on hi.
own object, though the result was to be
common; each bearing his own burden
not often helpful to others, self concen
tratcd, eager, bitter, obstinate, self.willed
narrow, cons cientious, ambitious. / fol
lowed them i'll reached disturbed ant
hlllock, which had been lately over
thrown, and where the possessois were
repairing their home with the most yehe.
ment industry.
Who directs themY Each seemed to be
going on his own hook, mindng his own
business, hardly conscious of the exist.
ence of any thing but himself fright.
fully in earnest" as Disraeli once said G
Gladstone. Yet the work was all in com.
mon. The community of goods, indeed
seemed absolute. No one had any per.
sonal property whatever: house, stores,
eggs, everything belonged to all.
No one interfered with the rest; there
was apparently no chief, overlooker, or
director; yet the work went on apace-
the repairing and building up of the
ruined city with neatness and dis.
patch.
Some seized apellet of earth, or a stone,
and dragged it backward up the steep
incline, using their hind legs to cling on
to rough places, while they hauled away
at weight greater far than that of their
own bodies. Some hoisted aloft in their
front arms, as it were, a stick, or piece
OF grass, twice or even thrice their own
length, and moved forward bearing it in
the air. Each addition was placed in
what each considered the best place; but
the general form of the dome grew in a
curiously regular diminishing curve, as
IL each bore the architects elevation in
his pocket. Some of the workers were
making desperate efforts to move heavy
TO them) beams of wood; but, after super.
human 'cxertions gave up the attempt
when clearly beyond their strength. If "a
thing, however, was anyways within the
bounds of possibility, it was wondrous
with what obstinate pertinacity they
would return, g. g., to pellet which had
rolled away from them, even to the
bottom of the hillock, again and again,
and begin once more to haul it up; tug
ging, lifting it over stones and under
sticks, tumbling over with their burden
on the other side of an obstacle which
they had scaled, and lying for few sec
onds quite exhausted, yet never leaving
hold of their burden, and setting off again
undauntedly as soon as they recovered
breath. Occasionally two or more were
helping at task; but they generally
seemed to prefer working alone.
The ant-hill was on steep, rocky,
wooded hillside, pink with spikes of
heather, feathered with bracken, which
hung over the nest, while tall mountain
grasses, with bright, glazed red and amber
stalks, sprang up through the moving
mound of life. The August sun shone on
the pleasant spot; while through
the white stems of the birch 1
could catch sight of the river running
at the bottom of the deep valley;
and the sound of the dashing water
among the stones far away came up with
soft murmur to my mountain perch.
There was "susurro" of wind among
the trees, the twitter of the autumn note
OF bird, and the buzz and hum of insect
life lowered round; but the ants were all
silent; and the sort of low hiss which
arose from the collected workers resem.
bled the noise of London street more
IL.
rest of the world seemed wrapped in
sort of lazy content in the soft, SUNNY
weather; but the ants did not seem to be
enjoying life any more than the men
whom one meets hurrying along the
Strand.
Probably the appreciation of beauti.
full view is not facilitated by crawling
over grass and sand, with ones head close
to the ground! Besides, the faculty of
admiring scenery is not only the distinct
i've quality of man, but is confined to a
very small educated section of them; and
doubt whether the ants are ever likely
to be educated into lovers of the pic
Luresque; they are too hard headed, bust
ness.like people. am sure they keep
their account-books admirably, and have
always balance at their bankers, and
that their stores are all labeled, and al
ways to be found at once on the right
shelves
There is, however, softer side to their
characters: they are warm friends and
allies, and assiduous nurses, carrying out
The eggs of the cummunity on fine days
10 warm and comfort the unborn chill.
lren, not their own, but the nations;
md, If you try to take an egg away, the
guardian will be cut to pieces rather than
give up his charge to the foe. He is en-.
Turing, brave, bold, enterprising; faithful
o his friends, cruel to his enemies.
His muscular power is astonishing.
lie is said to be the strongest being of his
size alive. And as to his mind, NJ.
9uatrefages, an eminent French natural
st, after saying that instinct is more de.
yeloped among insects than in any other
,reatures, adds that ants stand highest in
his respect, possessing qualities which
eem to resemble those which education, |
perhaps, masks among men" The dis |
lnction between intelligence and instinct, |
IS shown amongst them, is difficult in |
Iced to define. On one occasion he |
watched them dragging the wing of a
into their nest. The opening |
vas too small; and the workers pulled |
iown part of the wall. Some pushed at
I from without, some dragged it from
within. Still the magnificent beam,
which was probably intended to make a
whole ceiling, could not be got in: thew
eft it, increased the size of the opening;
md the wing was at last swallowed up
hough probably half dozen interior
'artitions must have been thrown down
efore 1t reached its proper place; after
his the door was built up again. Among
''nearest in structure to man,
% fact has been observed marking delib.
ration and judgment in common to such
degree"
II is battling to think how entirely we
re outside such intelligent and advanced
EXAMINATIONS as these. We cannot guess
I their thoughts and feelings; their ex-
ernal habits are even unintelligible to us.
We seem not to have point whereat to
ouch. To day they were quite uncon.
,ious Of my existence; perhaps was
70 big to be seen; they took no more no
ce of me than of stone as long as re-
aimed still; and if they stung me when
interrupted their business, 1t was my
1goT, not me, which they attacked. A
man, however, the other !