The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-04-18
INSECT LANGUAGE.
Interesting Observations Regarding the
Methods of Communication Between
Ants, Bees and Beetles.

= Ants, Bees and Beetles.
From the German.J
Many sensible teachers have objected
) to the use of poetical fables OF animal
in instructing children, on the grounC
that, as in these poems, the animals act
:. ed and spoke like men, they laugh
them what was not true. But 1t nov
, appears that Esop, Lafontaine and Gel
lert, should henceforth be esteemed a
realists. For the great advance of mod
ern science has established, beyond
doubt, that animals, within their range
of vision and action, develop mode o.
thinking and acting very similar to thai
of human beings, and have a peculiar
language, by means of which they com
municate with and understapd each 9TH
er. Although this is now considered an
established fact, with regard to the
mammiferous animals and birds, many
and much more wonderful discoveries
have been made concerning the little
insects, who form communities among
themselves. 1t is clearly shown that
these little animals can communicate
with each other by certain sounds,a and
also by means of the feelers attached to
their heads.
"Two ants" says Buckner, ''when
holding a conversation, stand opposite
to each other and move their very SEN
sitive and flexible feelers, in the most
animated manner, striking their heads,
etc. That in this way, they hold de-
tailed conversations, can be proved by
many instances.
The Englishman Jesse, relates 81
have often placed a small green cater
pillar near nest of ants. 1t would at
once be seized by an ant who, after vain
attempts to draw it into the nest, would
90 after another ant. With the help of
their feelers, these two ants would then
have a consultation, the result of which
was, that they would repair together to
the caterpillar, and, with their united
strength, draw it into the nest. L have
often observed two ants, on their way
to and from their nest, stop and have a
conversation by means of their feelers,
which | supposed, and not unreasona-
bly,, to relate to the best place for for
aging expedition"
Hogue, in letter to Darwin, says
that he one day killed with his finger a
number of ants who came daily through
a crack in the wall to some plants stand
ing on the mantelpioce. The result was
that the new corners turned back and
informed their comrades who had not
witnessed the disaster, and tried to pre-
vent them from coming. Those they
met on the way they stopped and had a
long conversation with, they being APP
parently unwilling to 90 back without
some proof In this way, too, the war
rior-ants have often been observed to
hold consultations before they begin
their interesting campaigns. When
an ant is hungry, it makes known its
wants to its comrades by means of its
feelers, and even induces the helpless
larva to open its mouth for the reception
of food in the same way. Their inclina-
tons and disinclinatiOns are expressed
by different gestures.
Landois (authOr of work on the ut
terances of animals, which appeared in
1870, after a careful study OF the sub
iect, has arrived at the conclusion that,
besides the language of gestures, ants
have also a language of sounds, although
not always audible to the human ear.
For example, he threw live spider of
large size into the midst of an ant-hill.
In moment, the entire colony became
alarmed so quickly that LandOis could
only explain it as the effect of an audi
BILE communication. A large number OF
ants instantly attacked the spider, anda
fierce combat cnsued, resulting in the
defeat of the latter. This scientist has
also succeeded in proving, that in the
hinder part of the ant, especially OF
certain species, there is 4 tone apparat-
us, or what is called rasping-organ.
In that species (Ponera), the rasping
sound can be heard by the human ear.
Thus it is not only obvious that these
little creatures have need of a mode OF
communication, which is in itself an ev-
idence of intellectual life, but have also
the power of communication, which is,
however, more or less developed in the
different species. When a change of
abode is to take place, an ant of one
species will take another in its mouth,
and carry it thus to the spot selected for
their new home. Other species again
do not find so drastic method of COM
munication necessary; they discuss the
subject by means of gestures or signs.
But bees are gifted with far more Won
derful powers of expression. Although
we do not understand their language, 1t
has been asce-tained by careful investi-
CATION to be very complete. UndOubt-
edlv, one of the duties assigned to the
guards, stationed by the bees at the
doors of their hives all day and night
through the summer time, is to forward
the news brought from without by fresh
arrivals, to those within doors. Ac-
cording to De Fraviere, they possess a
Number of different notes produced
through the air-holes in the breast and
back part of the body, each note hav
ing particular meaning. As soon as
a bee arrives with important news, it is
surrounded by the guards. 1t then ut
tiers two or three shrill notes, and touch
es one of them with its long, flexible,
and very susceptible feelers or antennG,
which are furnished with no less than
y or IS points. The guard then re-
peats the news to another in the same
way. and soon it is made known to the
whole hive Perhaps it is of an agree
able nature, touching the discovery of
stock of honey or rich field of clover,
and all remains quiet and orderly with
in. But if, on the contrary, the tidings
refer to some threatening danger, or if
strange animal breaks into the hive,
great excitement prevails and all is bus
tie and commotion. Such matters are
probably told first of all to the queen
bee, as the most important person in the
state. The language of the bee is GER
tainly one of sounds as well as of ges-
lures, and it can not be doubted that
bees can converse, not only in a gener-
al way, but also about various and par
ticular matters. If one bee discovers
sugar or other article of food, the re-
suit is that a whole crowd of hungry
bees will flock to the spot, having evil
IDENTIFY been informed of it by the first
bee.
Landois, whom we have already
mentioned, says, &c if you place dishof
honey before beehive, you will pres
emily see a few bees come out of the
b;,ro Erox,, of macmillan.