The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-12-19
INSECT TYRANNY.
Something More About the Slaye-makins
Ants.


Something More About the sIave-makins
4 Ants.
At the last meeting of the Philadel-
phia Academy of Sciences, the Rev
DR.. McCook exhibited the formicaries
of two species of slave making ants,
and described visit to a formicary of
polyergus lucidus, the American repre-
sentative of the Amazon ant, discovered
at the foot of the Allegheny Mountains,
near Altoona. The slaves, which were
found in considerable numbers mingled
with their captors, were engaged in
cleaning out the galleries, dragging the
pellets of sand to the openings, appar-
emily with the design of closing them.
None of the lucidus ants were engage
ed in this work. Another portion of
the slaves were engaged in an extensive
migration. A few of them were carry
ing their fellows, but for the most part
the deportation was confined to the
males and females of lucidus. The
slave would approach the winged queen,
and after the usual touching and cross
ing of antenna, the mendibles were
tightly interlocked. the head of the
slave was raised, and simultaneously
the body of the queen was drawn back,
stretched out in straight line, and then
doubled under the thorax of the slave.
In this position the large virgin queens
were carried up the perpendicular face
of the cutting for Is or 20 inches, and
then for the distance of six feet over the
ground and through the grass. The
time consumed in this Journey
was a few seconds over min
ute. The slaves sometimes seemed
to have an objection to the masters
remaining above ground, and
would unceremoniously seize them and
carry them below. He had seen mas
ter thus seized several times, each re-
turning in a logged sort of resistance
to the will of the servitor The masters
never work; the colony was changed
several times in order to incite new
work in mining galleries and rooms;
clusters of lucidus were placed by them
selves, but they always remained idle.
Neither do they attempt to eat. Sugar
was freely consumed by the slaves un-
til they became gorged, and from them
the masters doubtless received their
nourishment, for they were always in
good condition. The listless, heavy
Mariner that is characteristic of lucidus
Is wholly changed at any alarm, or the
presence of an enemy. Her true char
acter and duty as guardian of the COM
munity then appears. A specimen of
formica sanguinea from the other nest
having been put into the polyergus col
ony, quick as thought the hostile pres
ence was discovered, and lucidus
sprang upon the sanguinea and seized
her near the throat. Several slaves ran
to the fray and took part by Selling the
legs and antenn@ of the intruder Not
wishing such an unequal conflict
to continue, the principal CON-
batants were lifted out and
set apart to fight it out |
fairly. Lucidus had the sanguinea
grasped by the face at the eye with her
mandibles when first removed. She |
then began cautiously and deity to re-
lease her hold, preparing herself meau-
while for grand coup, which she af-
fected by Selling her foe by the neck,
and apparently ejecting a poisonous
fluid upon the face and mouth of the
The combatants were sep
az oaCu UClO1C CltlCI Idu U66u IUOFtalfy /
injured. Lucidus, however, had lost
part of her antenne. Having been re-
turned to her nest, the battle-scarred
Amazon had no sooner touched the soil
she had SO CALAMITY defended than she
was violently seized by one of her own
slaves and dragged up and down by
her sound antenn8, without offering the
slightest resistance. The late exalted
mien and ferocious aspect were now
gone, and the warrior cringed her body
and dropped her limbs like criminal
in the clutch of policeman. Two days
afterward the same veteran, recognized
by her mutilation, was seen once more
quietly perambulating the surface of the
1t is probable that during
he battle her body had been tainted by
some odor peculiar to her adversary,
which had made her obnoxious; or it
may be that the loss of part of her an
,enne was the cause of this hostile treat
nent.