The sun., 1881-07-17
B,a s,onrxs or zrrrln INSECTS
Descriptions or PecuSarities by an Ant Col
Ieetor-A Pitched Hattie.

"Isn't rice rather strange food for war
blers 2" we asked the owner OF fine lot Of
birds. who was feeding them with that grain.
These are not rice kernels" he replied.
laughing. but the puuD or undeveloped
young Of ants. the best bird food in the world.
In Europe you can buy them By tho pint or
quart in the market for this purpose. but col
leciing them in America does not pay gather
these for my own use on Long Island"
1T must require u great deal OF PATIENCE"
the reporter continued. picking up handful
OF the white cocoon-like bodies that every one
has seen when breaking up an ant settlement.
Not II you understand 1t" tho ant farmer
said. Il mako the ants collect them for me-
You sec. in every nest OF ants there are differ
ent kinds males and females. with wings. that
lie around and enjoy themselves. and the work
ers. who build the houses, make tunnels. and
feed the young; you will know them oy their
big jaws. Just as you would workingman by
his rough hands. The eggs are little white
specks. and from them come the maggots which
in a fow weeks spin n cocoon like these have
here. Just as soon as tho eggs are laid the
workers take them in hand. For two weeks or
more they keep them moist. and when hatched
they feed the maRgots. Whom they turn into
cocoons they carry them around as occasion re-
quiros and on their affection for the young
little warm water In the ants nest or burn to-
bacco or powder near them under ground. and
in moment hundreds OF tho workers will be
seen rushing out. each with one Of these kerr
nels OF rice. as you thought in its mouth and
off they go to some safe. dry place and pile
them up. ushng back for moro until every one
is safe and then slip in and bottle them up. l
have frequently gotten nearly half pint from
one nest. Any one can see the same thing by
destroying nest in ths spring; tho workers
will rush out on tho slightest warning. I've
bsen something OF q traveller. and made 1t q
point to collect ants and watch them wherever
have been and" pulling out drawer. here
are some of them"
They were few in numbers. but a worthy as
semblnRe All phases OF anthood were arranged
by families and species. perched in mid air.
and secured by pins on cork pads. each caro-
fully labelled with the scientific and common
names. while number ON each labci referred
to book in whicn the ant collector had taken
notes concerning them. One paricnsr ant
that was labeled as member Of the FOrnicidts
family. WAS dscked out with an array OF spines
that could only be compared to tisnhooks.
Birds would never touch them the coll
lcctor said. and that is probably what tho
spines are for. You soc. hore are others that
have simple straight spines. They came from
tho East Indies. though tho family is world
wide one. and are principally remarkable for
their nsst:building prochvities. The nest is
made OF dried leaves the edges gummed TO-
gether. They are harmless creatures. and have
no means Of attack. and dspend on their DOW
they rush out OF the nest in a body. striking
the!. 5od.co as:a.ns; tho dried leaves and max
ing noise something like that made by rat
tesnake. only more resonant, and enough to
Here is green Malay ant--the Ecoplyua-
that has exactly the same habit. and it is u curl.
Gus sight to see thsm rush ont and lit
themselves as high rs their legs will allow; but
they are comparatively helpless. Here is one.
tthoush," tnkipx up "a vicious looking KIN, i an, with
n hnV had on atom n n my
leg, and was obliged to cut its head ana
sody into with pHir OF ssis
lard up FOR three days with the pain 1t caused.
This IS ono of similar species that take every
was nearly devoured By thsm on, the Congo.
He was sick in bed. whom suddenly u pet
monkey eprnng on him. Ho tried 10 quiet The
little fellow. thinking that some rats Lad prob
aoly frightened him. when several negroes
screamed 10 him to Get, up because thss ants had
entered the house. He was carried into the
garden in order TO save his life. for the ants
had already commenced crawling on his feet.
them foot deep. Those ants. he relates. "aie ate
up every living object within their reach: and
Of cow. which was accidentally left over night
Ing but the bones were found tho next morning.
This seems like n pretty big yarn. bu, it is ac-
bers OF these auts. il is not Improbable.
What are called fire nuts travel about In the
same way. III Immense bands, and nothing can
stop them. They swarm into house nnI clear
II ot every llyIhE cTTrn,urr. Hsfe Is enc OF me
>
alive br.ght red. They form Underground
rORts. aud work up into u house before their
pFesehcs y even slspcrtel. Another turnover
10 the sauba II throws upt the earth in heaps.
sometimes four feet high and l4D In circum-
ierencc. They carry leaves lAto thsir tunnels.
and in the Botanical Garden ut Para one OF
these tunnels was filed with smoke and thus
traced 10 n distance of 2l0 feet. SIN more
wonderful 10 show their perseverance. the Rev.
Dr. Clark OF RIO states that By tie same means
he has followed ona OF their tunnels under tho
river Parahyba and out tho other side, a DIS
N n ma
leaves ls evident. as the galleries are rooted
with them and they serve a, matches. They are
as tho leaves. wnen bitten and chswed, are soon
conaected by curious fungus that is eager
ly devoured by the laryip. aud u is evident that
the leaves are placed there for this express
purpose, planter on the island OF Maraso
watched the Saubas Tor more than twenty -fivs
years an! they hnd during nll that time used
the same path along ths river, and mat at times
IL ioos ell AS If hundreds of leaves wore march
ing along. the insects h-,.- Invisible.
Here IS a queer fellow, he continued. hold
ing mp one about an inch long. with head GER
tainly tour times the sIzs Of lis BODY. and black
and ugly. " II belongs TO the genus PhsidOle
They are the tramps OF the ant race; and wan
dor around attacking everything. and often are
dragged of by their mora sprlEhtly fellows
They live in the forests under tho grass and
else The EciOls arc another vagabond race.
though really Elmrois. always hunting and
fstSJRgn5 hsm n0'ans aast I7s o; ;AT 5.-s
lne bH.5 dashed at them. but Were caught unl
pulled 10 pieces. the little creatures be NJ SEEM
ingly insensibe To their stiHEs. Related 10
these is u curious species totally blind. They
construct tunnel on tine surface ike moles:
but whether they have lost their eyesight from
living IN the dark or were originally blind II IS
hard To tell. The ants seem TO stand next to man
as regards Intelligence. anu have a language |
that Is perfect in lts rcIuIrements. Ii Toe |
their nest part Will rush 10 tho !
attack While others 20 10 inform The rest. n
tain number remaining 10 guard the puIip. IL |
the hattie wages tercely they are kept informed.
and the young are removed TO the lowest re- |
cessrs OF the dwelling. Prof Latreille removed !
the antenDH from number OF ants. and re- !
leased them. and their comrades were seen |
rubbing the parts with saliva. some persons |
even claim 10 havs noticed system Of buria. |
among them with curious rites.
, The most wonderful authentic occurrence |
that has ever been noticed among them was
regular battle seen by Mr.. Huoer OF Geneva |
and Mr.. Hauhart OF Basel. The hight was be-
tween an army OF brown ants. that had two |
hills. and a nation OF black ants that had five
hills about forty feet from them. In tho month |
of June they observed "A great movement in the |
hills OF the brown ants. They marched out to
he middle Of an uucuitivatei Held. which was
situated between them and their enemies. and
arranged themselves in n long. uninterrupted.
)blique limo Of battle. which limo was about
wenty-four feet long. and consisted OF only one
lie. In the mean time. the much more numer-
rus bat much smaller black ants also marched