The banner-enterprise., 1883-06-07
THE WONDERS OF NATURE.
SOME CURIOUS OCCUPATIONS OF
ANIMALS.

ANIMALS.
Birds that Build Apartment House, au
Keep Hotels--Ants as Farmers and Spide,
as Sailors.
There's a curious reflection q
human affairs in the actions of tn
lower animals" said a naturalist to
reporter of the New York Stsh
Everything but the dynamit
phrase" suggested the latter.
mo, l won't except that" was tn
reply; "and I'll wager you can't men
ton a class of men or an occupation
followed by them to which l can
show you something similar in the so
called lower animal kingdom"
The reporter suggested the dynamite
6end.
WELL continued the naturalist
pulling out a drawer upon which was
blood-ourdling name, "here's a bottle
that belongs to the explosive brother
hood, and SO powerful an agent it is
that it is called the Bombardier,' and
IS ready to go off at a moments notice.
1t is as you see an old-fashioned sort
OF a fellow-doesn't affect long hair
and the like; but let an enemy follow
it too closely and it stops suddenly, and
II you were listening you would hear
report, a puff of smoke would rise
III Inc air, and the pursuer would be
completely demoralized. l have seen
these bombardiers fire five or six times
In as many minutes, whirling about as
II taking aim. The explosives come
from Il gland. Quite a number of ami
mails carry explosives. The Larvae of
some dragon flies eject a liquid irri-
Eating to man. The squads, however,
lead IN this respect. l remember
drifting along over the reef at Nassau
several years ago, and seeing several
squids just below the surface, l put
out my hand, and in a second my dear
est friend would not have known me.
l was literally drenched with ink,
which was thrown from a distance of
at least three feet. 1t was inde.ible,
and l still have the vouchers in the
way of stained linen.
"Among the animal workers all oc-
equations are found. Take colony of
bees, for instance, In forming a nest
one set of bees are ordinary laborers
and form the rough cells. A set of
skilled laborers then take hold and
shape the cells, and SO on. Among the
ants the workers not only have their
share to do, but they differ from the
Others in shape and general appear
ance, the kings, queens, soldiers and
laborers being all markedly different
In appearance. The soldiers have
enormous jaws, but never work. They
rush out tiercely when you break into
u nest. If the enemy is not visible
they return, and the laborcrs come out
and begin repairs. The army ants of
South America show great in elligence.
The workers, like or sappers and
miners, often go ahead and form apro-
tectlve arch, und rwlich the soldiers
march, and 50 rapidly is this thrown
up that the onward march is not de.
layeI. The ants are also slave owners.
They capture ants of other species and
force them to work for them and at
tend them as b>dy servants So lux
uriOus do some of these slave owners
BECOME that they are utterly helpless
when deprived of their menials. The
not only wait on their masters,
but feed them. If the slaves are taken
away their owners perish.
"Ants are also farmers. In Texas
II tribe collect tn seeds of various
and plant them in close prox-
unity to their homes, so they can bene-
lit by the see |. The farmer OF grain
ants of Europe store up vast supplies
in underground granaries. After a
lamp season the seeds are taken out
md lad in the sur and finally re-
GLOW is it the seeds don't sprout?'
lsked the reporter. :
"That's the most wonderful part of
t. The seeds don't sprout, though
here they are, planted underground ,
md kept fresh. Its supposed that the :
lnts bite the seeds in some way so .
hat they are in a state of coma, Just :
IS wasps sting animals so that they '
emain ~insensible for months. Ants I.
nay be said also to keep cows-not ex- =
city Durhams, but insects that answer .
he same purpose. They collect the :
liant lice and, by caressing them in =
ONE way, force or induce them to give =
ut or exude a drop of sweet liquor. T.
have seen five or six ants awaiting =
heir turn to milk one of these cows. ,
he ants often collect the eggs of the :
place them on plants near !,
le,r homes, and care for them in =
lany ways, just as we do for our 9
stock. In the fall ants have :,
cen known to take their COWS under .
round and try to keep them through :
lie winter. Many ants keep beetles "
nd other insects as pets, some as y y
.layfellows, others on account of their -
lor. Several hundred distinct species !,
t insects are in this way kept prison r.
IS under ground. ~
"In engineering theants are equally :,
They ridge wide rivers by =,
together Their bodies, clinging -
lie to another. and thus forming a ',
ng string that the wind blows across ~
stream, In this way a bridge is :,
rmed over which an entire army o'
uses. "
"Many birds have the decorative in ~ ~
Certain ones in Africa are ~
id to fasten firehies to their nests,
at CLEAN at night like 50 many dia-
Onds. Another African bird bites o.
| all its tail feathers except the tip of W
e longest plume, and thus gives it. II
If a iaunty air. The hornbills color =,
cir feathers artifcia 'ly from certain ~,
,nds. A family Of birds found in ~