Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-05-25

the ants themselves Subsequent observa-
ton showed that these aphidcs, born from
| eggs Matched in the ants nest, left the nest
or were taken from il as soon as they were
Matched, in order TO live upon a kind of dai-
sy which grew around the nest. Sir John
then made out the whole case as follows:
"llerc are aphides, not living in the ants
nests, but outside, on the leaf stalks of
plants The eggs are laid carly in October
on the food plant Of the insect They are of
no direct use to the ants, yet they are not left
where they are laid, where they would be ex-
posed to the severity of the weather and to
lnnumcrablc dangers, but arc brought into
their nests by the ants, and tended by them
with the utmost care through the long winter
months until the following March, when the
young ones are brought out and again placed
on the young shoots of the daisy This
seems to be most remarkable case of pru-
dcnce. Our ants may not, perhaps, lay up
food for the winter but they do more, for
they keep during six months the eggs, which
will enable them to procure food during the
following winter
The FOrHica rufcSccHs assigns a larger
share of work than other species to the
slaves which they capture in much larger
numbers to take it. In this species the mas
tcrs do no work whatsoever, unless the cap
turing Of slaves be regarded as such. There
fore the whole community is entirely depend
ent upon its slaves the masters are not able
to make their own nests, to feed their own
Larvae, or even to feed themselves; they die
Of starvation in the midst of favorite food if
slave should not be present to hand it in
proper form. In order to confirm this OBJ
servation Originally due to HUBER Lespcs
placed a piece of moistcncd sugar near a nest
OF these slave makers. 1t was sOonfound by
one Of the slaves, which gorgcd itself and
returned. Other slaves then came out and
did likewise. Some of the masters next
came out, and by pulling the legs Of the
feeding slaves reminded them that they were
neglccting their duty. The slaves then i'm
mcdiatcly began to serve the sugar to their
masters. Had they not done 50 there is no
doubt they would have been punished, for
the masters bite the slaves when displeased
with them Forcl and Darwin have also
confirmed these observations Of Huber In
deed, the structure of the mouth in EOy'Hicu
ryc8ccHS is such as to render selffeeding
difficult, if not physically impossible. It's
long and narrow jaws, admirably adapted to
pierce the head Of an enemy, do not admit
Of being used for feeding unless liquid food
is poured into them from the mouth of a
slave.
In Brazil leaf bugs are employed as slaves
by ants, and Audubon says:
'Nhcn these ants want to bring home the
leaves which they have bitten off the trees
they do it by means Of column of these
bugs, which go in pairs, kept in order on
either side by accompanying ants They
compel stragglcrs to re-enter the ranks and
laggards to keep up by biting them After
the work is done the bugs are shut up with
in the colony and scantily fed
WARS
Forel kept nests of two species of slave
making ants in two separate sacks and when
he saw that an expedition or a third species
(Amazons) had found a slave-nest to plumber
and were fairly on their march toward it he
turned out one of his sacks upon the nest 4
hght at once began between the slave ants
and sanguinc ants which he had turned loose
upon them Then the vanguard of the Am
azons came up, but when they saw that the
sanguincs were already on the field they drew
back and awaited the approach of the main
army. In close order this main army then
prccipitated itself upon the already strug-
Cling hosts of sanguine ants The latter,
however, repulscd the attack, and the Anna
IONS retired to reform. This done they made
second assault which appearing as if it
would end successfully, Forel, to complicate
matters, poured upon the field his second
sack containing the third species of slave
makers. All three species then fought to-
gether, till at last victory declared itself on
the side of the Amazons. After overcoming
their enemies they paused for "a breathing
space before beginning the work of plundcr.
They then rayished the nest of the slave ants,
which, however, fought desperately, 50 that
1t seemed as though they courted death.
They even followed the AmazOns right up to
their own nest, harasslng them all the way.
On arriving at the nest Of the Amazons the
slaves of the latter came out and assisted
their masters to fight. These slaves were of
two species-One being the same as that
which was being plundered so that these
slaves were fighting for their masters against
their own kind Altogether, therefore, in
the days warfare, there were six different
species of ants engaged, three in alliance,
and the rest in mutual antagOnlsm. The mil
itary tactics employed by the sanguine ants
above mentioned are different from those en-
ployed by the Amazons. They do not seek
to carry the fortress of the slave ants by
storm, but lay regular siege, forming cir.
Gle around the nest and facing it with Jaws
held tiercely open and antennU thrown back.
Being Individually large and strong, they are
able thus to Confine the whole nest of slave
ants. A special guard is set upon the en-
trance Of the nest, and this allows all slave
ants not carrying pupe to pass, while it stops
all slave ants which carry pupe. The siege
lasts till most of the slave ants have thus
been allowed to pass out, while all the pupe
are left behind. The forces then close in
upon the entrances and completely rifle the
nest Of its pupG-a few companies however,
being told off to pursue any slave ants which
may possibly have succeeded here and there
in escaping with pupg.
TOILET.
Unlike other insects, ants assist one an
other in the performance of the toilet. The
cleanser begins its work by washing the face
of her companion, and then passes on to the
thoraX, legs and abdomen. McCOok says:
"rhe attitude Of the cleansed all this while
is one Of intense satisfaction, quite resem-
bling that of a family dog when one is
scratching the back of his neck The insect
stretches out her limbs, and as her friend
takes them successively into hand, yields
them limp and supple to her manipulation,
she rolls gently over on her side, even quite
over on her back, and with all her limbs re-
laXed presents perfect picture of muscular
surrender and ease. The pleasure which the
creatures take in being thus "combed" and
''sponged' is really enjoyable to the observer.
have seen an ant kneel down before an
other and thrust forward the head, dropping
quite under the face, and lie there motionless,
thus expressing, as plainly as sign language
could, her desire to be cleansed. | at once
understood the gesture, and so did the sup
plicated ant, for she at once went to work. -
Gathering HearI's-Ease.
went to gather hearts-ease