The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-04-18

will cross their feelers and touch each
other gently, and in this way will i'm
part their anxiety to others. Very soon
the disturbance will become general,
and the whole swarm will exhibit signs
Of distress and alarm.
Similar observations have also been
made in the beetle world. The grave
diggers, as they are called, as well as
many other beetles, possess a complete
apparatus, by means of which they make
a whirring sound, which serves, among
other purposes, to call their comrades
to work. They can also confer together,
by means of their feelers. All beetles,
without exception are provided with the
| latter, and there can not be any doubt
that they use their antenne, which are
so strangely and peculiarly formed, just
as the ants and bees do, to converse with
each other, though probably the topics
discussed by them are not of so deep a
nature.
Mr.. Goelitz, of Marysville, North
America, writes The following to DIR.
Buchner: 90 One day in July of last sum-
mer, found in my field heap of fresh
earth like mole-hill, on which red
and black striped beetle, with long
legs, and of the unusual size of hornet,
was working to remove the earth from
the mouth of the opening leading into
the mound, and trying to level the place.
After watching his movements for some
time, | noticed another beetle of the
same kind. The latter brought a small
heap of earth from the interior of the
opening and then disappeared. Every
four or five minutes, little mound of
earth was in this way deposited at the
opening, and removed by the first
beetle. When l had been a witness of
these proceedings about half an hour,
the beetle that had been working within,
came out into daylight, and ran to his
companion. The two beetles then put
their heads together and apparently
made an agreement, for they immedi-
atelely exchanged duties. The one who
had before worked outside, now entered
the hole and the other undertook to
work outdoors. | watched them for
some time, and turned away at last,
with the conviction that these little crea-
lures can understand one another, Just
as we men can"
Perty relates that gold beetle came
across a May-beetle, lying on its back
in the garden. He attacked, but could
not conquer him, so he ran under q
hedge near by, and came back with
comrade. Together, they made away
with.the May-beetle. and then returned
to their nests. Beetles have often been
observed to call others to their aid
This is very striking in the case of the
AttenchuS or Scarabeus sacer, whose
curious and strange action have caused
them to be much esteemed by the an
clients and even worshiped by the
Egyptians.
The Attenchus has, for instance, the
habit of making a ball an inch or two
in circumference in which to hatch its
young, and this it rolls before it on the
ground, until it becomes round and firm,
and arrives at the place where it intends
to bury it. To get to this spot, the bee
tie has often long way to go, and it is
how it will overcome all the
obstacles it meets. Sometimes it hap
pens that the ball falls into hole or
rut in the ground, out of which the bee
tie can not move it. In this case, one
will see the beetle leave the ball, and,
spreading its wings, fly off in the air.
If one has the patience to wait few
minutes, he will see the beetle come fly
ing back again, accompanied by two,
three or four comrades, and they will
unite in placing the ball on level
ground, so that it will roll again. Ar
rived finally at the destined spot, hole
is dug in the earth, with the peculiarly
formed front feet, which work very
much like spade; the ball is placed
in it and covered over.
We have, rs before stated, dwelt upon
only one point of the many demonstrate
ed, but think twill be new to many when
they hear that, so far as the question
under dispute concerns language of
animals among themselves, it can no
longer be treated as a matter of conject-
ure or Imagination, but as scientific
ally established fact But as to the rest,
Buchner, in his illustrations of the intel
lectual animation of insects, gives us so
many disclosures of the most surprising
nature, that we are tempted to venture
farther in this rich field thus opened be-
fore us.
An explanation of the mental and
emotional life of our animal cOntempor-
aries, already an inexhaustible source
of instruction, will gradually tend to a
treatment Of animals, considerable and
careful, but at the same time free from
sentimentality, which will assist greatly
in civilizing and humanizing future
races. The scientific material for such
an enlargement of our views is offered
US in abundant measure. If thinking
men would only examine into it, they
would certainly not regard the follow
ing statement, which was made by re-
liable and learned authority, merely as
an extravagant idea:
every step in the far-reaching study
of natural history leads from one sur
prise to another, for one finds repeated,
in the animal world, every thing which
has been previously discovered in the
human mind and heart.
"The temperament and passions, the
good and bad qualities Of men, appear
also in animals, and everywhere the
observer beholds a faithful
copy of our own social, artistic, scien
tifc and political life"