, 1876-04-01
undor the rod when b. IL thfrty yparS old.n-EdsAt
=" Pafres Ftnntifes Suppitedt1on 10 ~ Itpt."
En- CoLLfEn,
For the ghAkspe4rs Aoctoly.
SPARKS OF SCIENCE.

ANTS. ..
Al secent nuestfuR Of tho Linnntn 5ootety,
London slr John Lubbock presented . paper
containing tho results OF fresh observations upon
tue ants, undertaken with . view 10 determining
L. their povcr Of interco1nmunicatfou3 ! q thsIE
organs Of aouao; and 3. their affection for each
other. The apparatua eonirlvod for the prosoor-
lion OF tho experiments consisted Of glaas box
containing tho "nest," which WAS placed upun
polo It helght bringing It on love! With the
| eyes. on ono stdo at tho polo wAs
foAfo intended ~ : promonado for tue
insects, and near this wcra thin p!ecos Of
glass Of the s.zo Of microscopic slides. :
These wore connected with tho prom epado by
means Of slips Of paper forming bridges about
loot long. One Of the glaa1es was provided
With supply Of food, And the others we're left
empty. Two ants we're then captured, and
marked With spots Of color no rs 10 be readily
recognized: after which thoy waro taken nspa.
rately to the dupply Of food. and by CAREFUL
| guidance taught the Hay from 1t By = aosno-
what degioua routo back 10 tue nest. These two
having thna como into tho knowledge Of deposit
Of food and Of tho path conducting to it, 1t VIVA to
be expected that, had they tho rnehna OF CON-
| municasing tho facts To thoir comrades, all tho
| Inmates Of tho nest woa'd directly proceed TO
| aharo of Its coutnnts.
But such WAS not tho cass. Sir John Lubbock
gave his letaurc to q vigilant observation Of tho
movements Of tho colony. recording carefully al
period OF observation. tho two "1Iso ants
known BY their "co1orB," made 40 Journeys to
tho food-doposit; while 10 othots passed in to
the bridges, turning to tho wrong bridge. 60
posit and only finding their way to it. Changes
we're 1nhdo from tlmo TO tlulo, by Sir John Lub-
| DOCK IN tho arrangement Of tho bridges, ln ordet
to render the test still more conclusive. But
1af N Ito Il
l'as. vory small percentage Of Tho ants trnv-
cling about on tho promenhdo discovered tho
route leading to tho food. In ono case, Al ants
t.ayeled over space Of 80 inches, coming
Of the number failed to ind II. During
,, Gne sao Pssaiod Of observation 15o ants crossed
ss S,assi 70 e. ood a0d sns r Il hs te9sea g sas
ants were steadily At work bearing tho food to
tue nest by tho exact route thoy had boon
taught. Why did not they inform tho others
Wero they aolaah couple, preferrtng to secnrs
to themselves the cscditof sIngulAsly productive
lhbors2 Or wero they dehtitute OF tho power
Of convoying Tho Intelligence Which they pos
latter Is probsby tho fact. His observations in
cline Lin, to tho belief that when ants lock to
treasure OF food Which ono Of thcnn has discos-
cred, they simply accompany tue loader blindly.
Ia by no mcana IN oYidanco OF any high iutelli-
gcnce, or any complex system OF communication,
bur is merely An instance Of instinct, tt1e high
er than that which is found In other social AMI
mals,"
In order TO ascertain whether the antonnp ara
organs OF heating OF OF Bmol, Sir John cgeated
every sort Of = din around tho ants, but without
achieving any result The insects appeared up-
he concludes, they must ba sensible to these VI.
bIAtions Of tho mir which do not nIocs tho
human ear. In app1riEE tests to determine II
tho autcnnw mo Beasittre To amoils II was
found that f1no cauel'a hair pencil. dipped in
perfume. and brought noas to the ants, caused
them 10 turn awaE from II. Gu this point Sir
john desires to mako furthor Investigations bs-
foTo comlpg to any concusloaa.
As regards tho affection of ants for one an
other. Fir John considers that II 1t exists. i. ts
OF r1erccnary character. Should ons die laden
| with food, It viii undoubtedly be cared for by
tte companions; but. In number Of INSTANCES
related. drowned ANITA wcEo put In tho way OF
| tho living, And almost invariably no attention
wns paid to tho bodios Of tho unfortunate dead.
presence Of doccassd anta wero 30 {ow aa to
cs,lso Sir John to decide that tho indiyia,lals
concerned werc endowed with fooings superior
| to thono OF tho community in general.
Sir JOHN Lubbock's position regarding the ants
Is dspntod BY mary generous minds who do not
cuildtood-in tho high order Of sagacsy pos
eessed BY theeo littln creatures. A wIitor IN tho
Spectator brings forward the following Incident
| Rs a bit Of testimony opposing that adducel by
tho shEowd observer who ts doing 60 much to
b'eah down tha established reputation Of tho
ants and tho bees:
lido not feel qusto tstisned that sr John Lubbock
docs Justice to tho anita altrust,c qualities. ucto
iesa, expteace which tells in their The
house III whsh Ilve POSSESSES Small Conservatory.
Ihs door Of s u Or tiles. separated from border ii
earth By q low bank, some q inchea In height, Of
pillars which reTo infcstlna them ono u these, in
0tsose ~ vi ?S 81 s IT. Sess ana a.
.itss q little struggle, s.hcrc being stu fome