New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-26
TIE GOWN UNICATIVE ANI.
From q Paper by SIR John Lubbock.

From q Pnper Jy SIR John Lubbock.
selected n specimen of Alta testaceo-pilosa, De-
longing TO n nest which had brought back Win
me from Algeria. She was out hunting aDouo slA
feet from home and placed before her large
uead buebotte fly, which she at once began 10
drag to the nest | then pinned tie hy 10 piece
of cork in a small box, so that no ant could see
the ly until she mad climbed up the sue OF tne
box The ant struggled, OF course IN VAIN. to niovo
TN. nv She pulled first in one direction ana theu
in another but finding her efforts frultess she AZ
length started oil back to she nest empty haFu1u,
At this tine there were ants coming out OF the
nest Probably there some few others out nunt,
ing hu for at least quarter of an hour no am hau
left the nest My ant entered the nest out ula m1'
remain there ia less than minute she emerged
accompanied bv seven friends: never saw 50
many come out of that nest before In her excite
mrnt the first aut distanced her colnpaniohs
who tool the matter with much sdng-fr0,d and mad
ALI the appearance OF having come out reIuci
or as il they had been asleep and were only nan
awake The first ant ran on ahead, gong straght
TO the fly The Others followed slowly and with
many meanuerings; so slowly, lndee'' uIat aol
twenty minutes the first ant was alone NJ tiie NY
trying in every way 20 move III. fhllhg WIS SUI.
;mnossible she again returned 10 the nest, not
CHANGING 10 meet any of her Trends ny the way
Again she emerged in less than minute WIZ
cirht friends, and hurried % the ily. They were
even less energetic than the first party; and when
they found they had lost sight OF ther gude, sley
OEe and all returned 70 the nest IN INC ll9ai
oevoral Of the first detachment had founl tn' ~
and one of them succeeded in detachlng leg WIN
which she returned in triumph TO the nest coming
ont again directly with tour or five companions.
1hcse latter with one exception, soon save mp tHe
chase and returned TO the nest
do net tank so much Of this last case, because
rs the ant car ried in "A substantial piece OF bo0ty
IN the shape of the Hys leg Il Is not SURPRISING ts
her friends should some Of them accompany her on
her return but surely the other two cases ihcale
a distinct power of COMMUNICATION. Les',, ho"
ever in should be supposed That me result was
acc dental determined to try 1t again Accord.
ingly on the following day. put ahotncT !arLt
dead Nv before an ant belonging TO the same nest
pinuing il TO "A piece of cork as before Aiter tryine
In vain for ten minutes TO move toe ny ny ant
started off bone At that time | could only see
two Other ants Of tnat species outside th9 heat;
in "A few seconds considerably less tlan minute
She eincrg cd with less than twelve lr'ens ~ III
the preyious case she ran on anead, ana tncy iOl-
lowed very slowly and by no means directly, TAX
Ing in fact nearly naf an nour TO reaeh the ny
The first ant. after yalnly lduOrln3 lor a"Vu' .
quarter OF an nour 10 move tnc ly started Oh glil
10 toe ucst Meeting one OF her friends on the way
she talked with her little, then continued lo""Iu'
the nest but after gong about ioot ca.to" tisi
| mind and returned with her TREND 20 Ine Nv
| After some minutes during when TWO or tliree
| other ants came up. OF them detached i reg
which she carried of to the nest, coming out again
almost Immediately with six friends one OF whom,
! curiouslv enough seemed TO lead the way. tracing
| il | presume by scent. | then removed the pm
| and they carried of the fly in triumph. Again on
| June -, another ant belonging 10 the saIic nrat
had found Il dead spider. about the same distance
from the nest. | pinned down the spider as DeI0Ie.
| The ant did all in her power 20 move IL; Dut alCer
irving for twelve minutes, she went oil to the
! nest For a quarter of an hour no Other ant hau
come out. bat in some seconds she came out again
! with ten companions. As IN the preceding case
! they followed very losurelY. She ran on ahead
| and worked at the spider for ten minutes; when
! rs none OF her friends had arrived TO hcr assist
| once tbouph they were wandering about evidently
| i'm search OF something she started back home
again. In three-quaTters Of minute after enter
ing the nest she reappeared. TINS tuc W!Iu HILccH
! friends who came on somewhat more rapidly thln
| the preceding batch, though still but slowly By
| degrees however. they all came m and aiter more
1,er.everiup efforts carried OF the spider piecemea
| On July | tried the same experiment Mith a
| soldier OF Pheidole megaccphala. She pulled at
| the y for no less than lift minutes, after Nhlcn
| sbc went To the nest and brought i've friends eX
| actly as the Alta had done.