, 1881-11-06


Of grain; hence these ants have been called
the agricultural ants"
11oSEY-MAK1SG ANTS.
These ants are found in Texas and New
MeXcO The. community consists Of three
distinct killd:, of ants, which appear to be-
long to two distinct genera, These are:
1. Yellow workers; nursers and feeders OF
H.. Yellow i,oney-nakcrs: sole function to
secrete u kintt Of loneyin their large slobose
abdomens. OF which the other ants: are sup
poseu to feed They never quit tile nest, and
are fed and tended byl.
Ill. Black workers; guards and puryeyors,
which surround the nest as sentinels, and
also forage for the food required for l: They
are much larger and stronger than either
or II, and are provided with very formidable
mandibles.
perfect sutlare, OF which each side measures
from four to five" feet. and the surface OF
which Is kept quite unbroken save at two
points, at each Of which there is Il very mi
tute hole or entrance. One Of these minute
holes occurs near the west side OF the square,
aud the other near the southeast corner; for
it must be remarked that the square is always
built with precise reference to the points Ut
the compass, in such u way that one side
faces due north. and consequently the others
due south, east, and west. THESE boundaries
are rendered very conspicuous by the guard
ut black workers or soldiers (IlI.l, which
continuously parade. round three of the sides
in (. close double line Of defense, moving i'll
oppasit directions. This scntry-path occu-
pies the north, east, and west boundaries,
The southern side of the square encantp-
nent, or rather fortress, is left open lis just
described in order to admit of
Il FREE ENTRY OF SUPPLIES.
While some OF the black workers are on duty
as guard, another and larger ttivision are
OH duty rs purveyors. These enter and leave
the quadrangle by the southwest corner i'll a
double line Zone laden and tile other not).
which follows exactly the diagonal of the
square to its central point. where all the
booty, consisting Of flowers and aromatic
leaves, is deposited in heap. Passin. from
southeast corner Of tile quadrangle, and
therefore occupying the other se.ni-diagonal
TT the square, there is another double line
Of workers constantly engaged III carry
ing the booty from the central deposit
ose into the orTt storea9seS 5 oS9ysronn s
posed OF Class II, wl,ose whole, life
is therefore spent in running backward and
forward upon this sclni-diaEonal Of the
Stlu;.re, carrying III food and feeding Class /.
NJ black ant is ever seen OH the eastern
diagonal, and no yellow ant Is ever seen on
the western; but each keeps to his own sep
arate station, and here works with Il stead
fastness and apparent adherence to discip-
line which are not less remarkable than those
exhibited BY the scntres- The western hole
seems to be intended only
as-:. yentllating shaft; it is never used as !.
gateway.
SectlOn Of the nest reveals, besides passages
and galleries, Il Snall chamber, across which
is spread. like 4 spiders web, q network Ut
squares spun by the insects. In each Of
these squares, supported by the web. sits one
OF the loney-secretins ants (1D. Here the
ll0lcy-lnakers live in perpetual confinc-.
lllent, ;lld receive Il constant supply OF
flowers, polcn.,, etc.: which is continually
being brought tleupby |, and which, by Il
process OF digestion and secretion, they coll
vert into honey. 1t is particularly note
worthy that iii this truly wonderful exhibit
tim OF social cooperation the black and yel-
low workers appear to belong to two distinct
genera; for hitherto this is the only e:'sc
operating for common end
We have lastly 10 consider the most aston
ishing insects, if not the most antOllslIng
animals, in the world. These are the So
called forasng," or. as they might more
be called, the military ants OF
the Amazon.
EcitoIl legioni5 moves in enormous armies,
and everything thai these insects do is done
with the most perfect Instinct OF military Of
The army marches i'll the form
# ft F'afr If 4pqds 4ns anu IL rGsf su.h co he obsct
uf the march i to capture AMI PUN
der other insects, etc. for food, anil, lis
the well-urganiZetl host advances, lis tlcyas-
Eating legions set all other terrestrial life at
defiance. FROM the main column there are
sent out smaller lateral columns, the COM
posing individuals Of which play the part OF
scouts, branching off III various directions,
and searching about with the utmost activity
for Insects grubS. etc, over every log and ull-
der fallen leaf. If prey is found i'll sufficient
it is Immediately seized and carried to the
mail column; but, II tile aM3unt is too large
for the scouts themselves to deal with. ines
senscrs are sent back to the main column.
large enough to cope with the
requirements. Insects Or other prey which,
.y!un killed, are too large for single ants to
carry, are torn in pieces, ana the pieces con-
geyetl back to tile main army BY ulftcrenC
Many insects i'll trying to escape
pursued from branch to branch aud tWig to
tWig By their reinOrSelesS enemies, till, OIL
at some terminal raInitication, they
must either
SUBMIT TO IMMEDIATE CAPTURE
jy their pursners or drop t.1wn amid the
nurhernl1s hosts beneath. AS already stated,
i'll the spells which are taken BY the scouts,
Dr. By tire detach.llents sent ont in answer to
their demands for assistance, are Immediate
y taken back to the main army or column
W htn they arrive there, tney are conveyed 10
the rear of that column by tw0 smaller
columns of carriers, which ;lre constantly
running III two double rows tone Of each
N;ng laden and tile other llot} on either sldc
1t the main column. On either side Of the
l,ain column there are also constantly ruiz
ming l1p AMI down 4 few individuals OF
smaller size lighter color, and having larger
lcatls than The other ants. THESE appear to
perform the duty OF officers. for they. never
cave their stations, and, while actively ruiz
ming up and down the outsitles Of tie
column, they seem intent only OIL maintain
Ilg order in the 1narch-stopping every now
.1ld then to touch some member OF the rank
and file with their antennm, as if giving til
-ectiDns.
The Ecitons have no fixed nest themselves, |
>ut live, as it were, OH Il perpetual campaign
1t night, however, they call i halt and pitch
. camp. For this purpose they usually Sc
ect Il piece of broken ground, IN tie inter
;ticcs Uf which they temporarily store tieir
>ltlntler. In the morning tile army Is again
III the march, and before all hour or two h;s
y1ssed not Il single ant is to be seen where
thousands and millions had previously COW
.red the ground.
Two species Of Eciton are
" TOTALLY BLIND,
nd tie habits of these differ from thnse
hove described III that they march cNcltl-
iyely ul1tter covered roads or tunnels. Tie
,an Of the column is constantly cngagett iii
rif l. t