The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-07-15


We frequently read of wonderful fcats
and marvellous do rs Or ants in ioreivn
countries. little thinking that the ants
Of our own country perform quite as re-
marsable explo q. We have ia the
: Northern States two species 81 save
making. two lea'-cultine AMI several
carpenter ants. with very interesting
habits. mi also harvesting ants. thai
collect and store seeds. Tie sIasc-mak-
make war upon neighborlng tribes and
capture the Young. which the rear as
slaves. but they 10 many other things
quite AS wonderful. which seem 10 nd.-
cate that they have language and 4
system Of government or laws regulat-
ing the community.
Ny observations were made on the
slave ma ing ants in grove which sur
rounds the house. wher. large eolonv
haze had their formicary for several
years ra,t AfterliNing in one D ace for
number ~ wears. they concluded To
change their home not swarmng | kc
bees. leaving part 81 the colony iii the
Oh quarters. but the whole community
mov ~ aud taking with them their en-
tire effects. Notwithstanding the i'm
mensc number Of slaves and workers
engaged in the enterprise. the building
" the new home pro "a u be slow
and laborious proceeding. On the 4th
oi June | observed q line Of ants com
ing from the home Of the slave makers.
which followed twenty feet ID SPOT
whore the new homo was alread in
progress. The place chosen was lit 4
hllock about fear feet in diameter. but
ihe surrounding ground was lover than
the old home.
IRON Al appearances. they had not
been IL work more than day or two.
- comparatively little earth was thrown
ont The b ak captivcs form ca Fils-
enl were excavating AZ eleven Il tferent
points. and the red masters were walk.
ing slowis from ,ne group Of saves %
another. ~ II inspect M their work and
now several returned home and dsap-
rcafed. but soon emerged " Ii new ~.
cruits u acks. which fell into ne and
marched with them tyfhe new quarters.
where they joined their fellows IN the
work excavation. The slaves did not
return home. but Kent sfeAd.ly AZ work.
VIII 10 the masters were cons antly 20
ing back and forth. The colony had
also another species Of slave the
brown ant (f'ormica sctnnlu sis). VIII Oh
Silt renamed NJ home. bringing ia
food fur the community and nursing
me yorng. Not one of these slaves. as
iAr as could see. was engaged AZ the
new home
On the 18th Of June. eight DAYS after
! mt observed the move the building
mad progressed sufficiently 10 admitthe
Young iniothe ncwly-constructcd cham.
pers. The busy porters formed an un-
broken line from the old u the new
nome, each carving large chrvsnl =.
Which conta ned win 1ei individual.
" here chrysalids were larger and heav-
ier than the porters who bore them.
they coAtaine the future queens and
males, which in due time would swarm
ana leave Tie cp.onr. The masters a.
We as the slaves were engaged in the
tran >portation. A large force of blacks
was alSo still engaged in minsnr.
IN the following day very lew chrvs-
ai'ds were carried, but the mining
seemed % be gong On with redoublcd
force. Some Of the masters hid now
'aken hold. and were working rs viyor-
ous As the slaves The work contin-
1led with undated ardor for four or i've
aaNs, m q the 18th. when the portcr-
again iofmcd IN line both masters and |
s's.s,es--ani brought the heavy burdens.
Nh'eh they lcf- i'll tho new home AMI
returned for more. A large force OF |
saves was still mining. but several OF
,ne entrances where they had been
forming galleries were now closed.
only I'VE being open. A large number
N backs were still bring NJ |
earth from four or the openings. |
while the fifth was wholly occupied
~ 'he portcrs with their burdens. Be- |
I, The chry-alids and lary.r. many of |
'ne slaves brought Bit OF wood. and |
pebbles, and wild.cherry pits. winch
,ney had previously piled about the Old \
nome he most difficult things Ia move \
seemed 70 have the most value. Bits OF K
soa' and pebbles. which had cost them
9rea' effort ~ get in place at The Oh 4
I, must now be carried twenty feet.
through grass 70 the new home. some
.''nes y required i've or six slaves ID \
'atr5 NE valued article. and when thew