The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-06-20
OCCUPATIONS OF ANNALS.

. OCCUPATIONS Vi. ANIMALS.
Dynamite Fisnds. Undsrtakers, Doctors,
and Esthetes-Birds that Build Apart
ment Houses and Keep Hotels-spider
Sailors. 'ii-f ~ I'LL -l
There's curious reflection of human
affairs in the actions of the lower ami
mails" said the naturalist to the re-
porter.
Everything but the dynamite phase"
suggested the latter.
mo, 1 won't except that" was the
reply; ''and I'll wager you can't men,!
ton q class of men or an occupation
followed by them to which can show
you something similar in the so-called
lower animal Kingdom"
The reporter suggested the dynamite
fiend.' ~ s-'7gi {.
WELL" continued the naturalist,
pulling out drawer npon which was q
blood-curdling name, ..here's 9 beetle
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 q moments notice. 1t
is, as you see, an old-fashioned sort Of
fellow-doesn't affect long hair and the
like; but let an enemy follow il too
closely and it stops suddenly, and if you
were listening you would hear report,
a puff of smoke would rise in the air,
and the pursuer would be completely
demoralized. I have seen these bonn
bardiers fire five or six times in as many
minutes, whirling about as if taking
aim. The explosives come from agland.
Quite number of animals carry explo-
sives. The larve of some dragon flies
eject liquid irritating to man. The
squids, however, lead in this respect. /
remember drifting along over the reef
at Nassau several years ago, and seeing
several squids just below the surface, /
put out my hand, and in a second my
dearest friend wouldn't have known me.
1 was literally drenched with ink, which
was thrown from distance of at least
three feet. 1t was indelible, and / still
have the vouchers in the way Of stained
linen" i--..f
Here the naturalist took down q
drawer labeled "Myrmeleon," and said:
"Here is not only a plotter, but a dia-
gram of its trap. The propensity
seems bred in the bone, as it Is INDUCED
in by the young insects. When first
Matched the insect seeks out q soft soil
on some miniature sandy plain. 1t gen.
orally holds its head in place at one
point, while its body is whirled about
like a pair of dividers. This done, the
insect begins throwing out the sand;
some is carried, but the greater part is
removed on plan that at least shows
an attempt at labor saving. With o
quick movement the worker shovels q
load upon its head, and by backward
upward jerk hurls it far out of the ex-
cavation. If a pebble or stone is met
with it is tossed out in the same way,
masses half as large as the worker be-
ing hurled over foot away. When q
large stone is encountered the intelli-
gence displayed is remarkable. The
engineer seems to know that the rock
can't be tossed, and so he carefully rolls
it upon his head and proceeds to climb
up the incline of the pit. Naturally the
stone would roll off of any incline, but
| to avert this the insect lifts its tail high
| in air, and so crawls up the side with
the stone on perfect level. have
seen them try a stone ten or fifteen
times, and then give it up and select
another location. After the pit Is
completed it represents the cast of an
inverted cone, and at the bottom the in
sect conceals itself. leaving only its two
enormous jaws protruding. You see
here on this diagram the whole tragedy
is enacted. We will suppose that thil
ant is the Gar on the way to corona.
ton. He rushes along, comes to the
pit with his attendants, steps ON the
prepared slides, and goes rolling down
into the mouth of the living or Nihilist
trap below. Perhaps when half way
down the ant regains foothold, and
seems in a fair way to escape, but the
trap maker throws off all concealment
| quickly shovels sand upon its head, and
hurls load after load at the victim; who
rolls down helpless into his enemy'i
\ jaws, and Is destroyed. When the traI
maker has sucked the blood, he uncere
moniously hoists the remains upon hi
head and throws them out upon tn,
sand. The pit is then repaired for the
next victim. 80 ff-sE -
"Among the animal workers al
occupations are found. Take {
colony of bees, for instance. IL
forming q nest one set of bees ar
ordinary laborers, and !. form tn,
then take hold and shape the cells, ant
not only have their share of work to do
but they differ from the others in shap,
and general appearance, the king
queens, soldiers, and Iaborers being al
markedly different in appearance Th'
soldiers have enormous Jaws, but neve
work. They rush out fiercely when vol
break into a nest. II the enemy is no
visible they return, and the laborer
come out and begin repairs. The arm,
ants of South America show great in
telligence. The workers, like our sap
pers and miners, often go ahead ant
form q protective arch, under which tn,
soldiers march; and so rapidly is thi
thrown up that the onward march i
not delayed The ants are also slave
owners. They capture ants of othe
species and force them to work TO
them and attend them as body servants
So luxurious do some Of these slav
owners become that they are utterl,
helpless when deprived of their menials
The latter not only wait on their masters
but feed them II the slaves are takel
away their owners perish. tEa
''Ants are also farmers. In Texas
tribe collect the seeds of various plant
and plant them in close proximity b
their homes, so that they can. benefit b.
the seed. The farmer or grain ants Q
Europe store up vast supplies in under
ground granaries. After damp seaso
the seeds are taken out and laid in tn
sun and finally returned"
"How is 1t the seeds don't sproutp'
asked the reporter. III