, 1875-04-03
SPARKS OF SCIENCE.


In l,is history Of tho "Na.utal;tt In Sicasa.
gus," N. Bolt gives All interesting account OF ti.e
oddIY.,ntimato teiaLionn existing Letwenn a
plant and an ant. Tho former IN a R,,ccica OF
acacfn, called 1fi,nosa eornf9rra anl tho lat.eri4
knovn BY tho name of j'.eutlon,yrma .,.ico,or.
Tito trae As,ouudB on tho dry sayaunss Of Cuu-
trail America, aud ia thero termed tho bulls
horn thorn, ffom tho AtronE CURED tlornH,
shaped like bulls orns that ara r.. in pairs al
ovur tho trunk mud branches. When Gra. dc.
yeIupetl, tteaa tAorua arc s3ft and flied with u
n,yeotts! pulp that Ia tnoat attracslsa food Tor
tic ANAL brown ants mentioned above 10 get
as tllta staro O! food. tic ansa bore holo near
tho point Of one al Tho !hornH, and eat tut tho
interior Of lilo pair, which comtnuueata At tho
}unciure, and thus tho Bhels arc left entirely
hollow. ry tho time the trco III we'll crown, tho
thornB nra large and strong, and a!Forl most
convenient dwelling p!acos for thu ants t}lat have
excayAlcd them. Tn exatnlnatlth, IL vail In
found that nono Of them aro left nntenan.ea by
tho ants, WHO arhs n out III Le!llcoaa nlauitr
otI tho Hlishtest disturbance.
Tho attH ato hruel Will, foscc JAWS, and their
hito lcavca keop, stinRsng Honaat.on. When 1T
peace, tho litto crcatlEeh are 1erpetually r0vlnR
about oyar tho tseo, occupied with their rpcctc
nfraIra, nnd 1T tho same sttnc, acting A. body
Of pEtvato f,olce. protecting the tre" from tnr-
rounding enctnce. T4e especial fcs OF tho MI
uosa sa Of nIl vegetation III tropical America ID
tho jeaf.cutt.ng ant, epecles Of Dccoionsd.
Tlta inject cuts tho leaves from tees III p.dor IL
thatch It's dwallingn with them, ind will 1t, q
briof time, rub twy and brntcit uf osrrr yosttgp
ot creen destroying tile life Ut the riaAt. II
hliH,O4a chances NOT to ellstatH colnuy Of tho
Istuio,ny,.m0, 1t Ia speedily dcfola,el bY the
tccoiou,a. 1lcnte It IL supposed. hy nssutalists
that tho ptnnt tIaa. ID tho couree of tins. tecn 10
modified by tho action Of the aAts inhabi.fng 1t
TINT 1t produces tho food needed by It's rraseel-
ots in sufficient quantities. to Insure sls1r tes~
.lenco unon its branchoa. It is iact confirming
this hypothesIB, that this particular hpccies al
| j'se,Hio,nYrn,a IL norer fUuud upun uny other
| tree.
| Tilo 1eaveB Of the AlimoeA hro pcun.tc, and ut
| tho base Of each pair Of featc.s, cn TIM fnHfiG
IL o gland that soctetcs T. Louer-ilks fluid when
tho leat IL yorny. OF tins the nslts nro very
f0n, and by nleatlH Of 1t their constant prcsruce
on tl,o young lcares, and their zoa!uus sesvlcs
| Ia driving OF othur inaects areitlnnred Another
| wonderful provision for tho nuprort Of tie ants
ron,sis,H to Ia recorded. At the onl Of each OF
tho nmall diyisions Of tls compound leallet there
| prowH small frnt-l1ke body thai, under the
| microscope, !uoka like golden pear. When tue
luaf Arat unfoIls, tho little rcars Rre not quite
ripe mud the nuts are vcty busy for time going
| from ono to smother to discover when they coma
10 maturity. AH they do not ali tl1eu at ours,
this busiuers again beryeB to keep tho ants run.
| ming oyer tic lcayos for considerable tiule. AZ
soen az ono Of tic litt!e pear-lka bodies is found
| 10 be sufficiently advanced, some Natcbful ant
| bites ths point Of attachment !; then, bonding
down tia prizo, breaks It q, aud beAiH II aHAt
In triumph to its nest III the thorn1.