Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-05-30
The ParasOI Ants of Texas.

AT a recent meeting of the Philadel-
phia Academy of the Natural Sciences
the Rev. H. C. McCook presented the
results of his studies of the habits of
the parasol ants OF Texas. Two forms
of nests were found by him-one that
of a mound twenty-one feet long and
four feet high, built around the trunk
of double live oak tree, and the Sec
ond form, consisting of twenty or thir-
ty circular, semicircular, and S shaped
elevations, consisting of fresh earth
pellets scattered over q flat space de-
nuded of grass. The mound nest re-
sembled a spittoon in shape, having a
round entrance on top. This mound,
when first seen, seemed to be deserted;
but as evening approached hosts OF
ants of various sizes were seen hurry
ing out of the open gate into the neigh
boring thicket, and two long double
columns were stretched from the bot
tom to the very top of the live oak
The ants in the descending column all
carried above their heads portions of
green leaves, which waved to and fro
and glanced in the lantern light, i'm
parting weird look to the long line of
march. They resembled a procession
Of Liliputians bearing their banners
aloft.
The opening and closing of the great
gate to the nest occurs before and after
every exit and entrance of ants. To-
ward evening the gates are gradually
thrown open and remain so until
morning, when they are again careful
" closed. The work is performed by
ants of various sizes, who transport
particles of wood and fragments. of
leaves, etc., Of proportiouate bulks,
for the ants themselves vary from one
fourteenth to one-sixteenth of an inch
in length, at least ten distinct castles or
sizes having been counted. When the
gates are to be opened, the minions, or
smaller forms, carry away from the
heap particles of sand, Larger ants
take bits of refuse, which they deposit
a couple of inches from the gate. This
process is slow and it takes long time
to accomplish very little. When the
whole mass IS thus loosened comes the
final burst, with soldiers, majors and
minors in the lead, who bear away the
rubbish in front of them, which, in
few minutes, is thus cleared away from
the gallery and spread around the mar
gin of the gates.
In cutting, the parasol antgrasps the
leaf with feet outspread and makes an
incision at the edge by a scissors-like
motion of its great sickle-shaped,
toothed mandibles. 1t then gradually
revolves, cutting as it goes. Carriers
on the ground take up the fragments
as they fall and carry them to the nest,
each piece being loaded upon its edge
within deep furrow which runs along
the entire middle line of the ants head,
and is kept in position by prominent
spines on the edge of this furrOw and
on the fore part of the ants body.
The cutting and carrying was done,
as far as was noted, by the smaller
ants. The soldiers rarely engaged in
this work, but were seen to precede the
excursion columns as they moved out
of the nest and up the tree, and after
ward to return as though only engaged
as scouts or pioneers. The principal
leaves gathered were those of the live
oak, although others were cut and car
ried off by the ants. These ants are
fond of sugar. grain and tobacco. The
use made of the cut leaves is to con-
struct cells, slightly resembling those
of the hornets nest, but more irregular
in shape. These cells were contained
in the underground caverns, or pockets.
Within these caverns great numbers of
the smaller castles of ants were found.
With regard to the opinion of the
late Mr.. Belt, that these leaf-paper
masses were used as a sort of "mush>
room garden" a minute fungus being
purposely cultivated upon them, which
the ants were supposed to use for food,
the belief was expressed that this was
not correct, but that the ants fed upon
the juice Of the leaves, the fungi being
merely what would naturally grow
under the circumstances.
The ability of these ants to excavate
vast hills and spbterranean avenues
was alluded to. Some of the holes ex-
amined were nearly as large as the
cellar of small house, and Lincecum's
assertion that tunnel had been exca-
waited under the bed of stream was
pronounced to be not at all incredible.
The digging operations were partici-
pated in by the smaller castes only. |
The large castles would therefore ap=
pear to assist in opening the gates,
making the excursions, and doing the |
cutting; the small forms dig and carry
out the excavated earth, while the |
smallest castles assist in opening and |
closing doors and taking care Of the
larvae.
These smallest castles, or minions, |
however, are quite ferocious in the at |
tack and gallantly support the large |
headed soldiers.
The extreme variation of size found |
in one nest is one of the most serious
special difficulties which the evolution |
hypothesis has encountered. The va
riations of domestic cattle by inter-
breeding and other results of cultiva-
tion, although they throw some light
upon the matter, yetrequire an efficient
experimenting intelligence which can
lot be supposed to operate in the diff
ferentiation of ant forms, unless, in
deed, we may believe that the evolution
hypothesis implies and requires the
interposition of personal intelligence
infinitely superior to that of both ant
and man.
DR.. Ruschenberger remarked that
these parasol ants in Panama did not
confine their operations TO the night
1