Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-02-15
on one side. There is no more re-

markable phenomenon in the whole
range of animal life. By the enormous
distention of the crop the remaining or
CANS of the abdomen are compressed
against its walls so as to seem almost
obliterated, the stomach being SO fiat
tened that it is difficult to perceive how
it can retain its function. The honey
bearers are rendered almost helpless by
this change of condition, but r care
fully attended to by the other ants.
They are kept in certain apartments, to
whose roofs they cling, /: their over
weighted abdomens hanging downward
like amber globes. The honey laid up
in this peculiar manner is undoubtedly
used as a store of food for some or all
the members of the nest. The ants
needing food apply their mouth to that
of the honey-bearer, when a slight con-
traction of the muscles surrounding the
former forces out minute drops of
honey, which gather upon the organs
around the mouth and is licked off by
the hungry ants. This is probably the
only instance in nature in which a liv-
ing creature is converted into a depos-
itory of food for the use of it's fellows"
"How do the personal habits of ants
compare with our own?" asked the re-
porter.
"They are much neater and cleaner
than the average human being -
replied the naturalist. 1.-The whole
body is frequently and thoroughly
clcansed, a duty which is attended to
after eating and sleep. In this process
the ants assist one another, which makes
a general washing up an exceedingly
curious sight to witness. The cleanser
begins at the face usually, which is
licked thoroughly by the rugose tongue;
even the mandfbles or jaws are cared
for, they being held apart for con-
v~enient manipulation. The attitude is
meanwhile one of intense satisfaction,
resembling that of puss when one is
scratching the back Of her head. When
engaged in ~self-cleansing, the ant uses
the spar, a small-toothed comb with a
pointed attachment to the tibia. BY
means of this the back hair or hairs
upon the back of the head. the sides,
etc., are combed out. The comb closes
upon a similar but coarser-toothed
arrangement upon tibia, and
through the two approNimated combs the
antenna and legs are drawn for cleans
ing. The apex of the abdomen is
cleansed chiefly by the tongue, and for
this purpose some very grotesque at
titudes must be assumed. This tidi-
ness extends to the young, who are con
tinually undergoing the bath, appear
ing to enjoy it more than the averaged
child.
.Do the ants care for their dead?:"
questioned the reporter.
Il think so," was the reply. s'Mr.
McCook has noticed a certain amount
of reverence to the dead, and some
carry their dead about for several days
before a suitable place is foundin which
to bury them. The red slave-making
ants after a battle pick out their own
dead and lay them apart from others
with great care.
1.-The ants have regular wars with
other nations that are conducted with
great skill and courage. In one battle
observed by Huber ut Geneva the ants
moved in a body with considerable
rapidity, and occupied a space from
eight to ten inches in length by three
or four in breadth. In a few minutes
they quilted the road, passed a thick
hedge, and entered a pasture ground.
They wound along the grass without
Struggling, and their column remained
unbroken, Notwithstanding the obstacles
they had to surmount. At length they
approached q nest, inhabited by dark,
~ash-colored ants, the dome of which
rose above the grass at a distance of
twenty feet from the hedge. Some of
the inhabitants were guarding the
approaching army, darted forth upon
the advance guard. The alarm spread
at the same moment in the interior, and
their companions came forth in numbers
from their underground residence.
The other ants, the bulk of whose army
lay only at the distance of two PAGES,
quickened their march to arrive at the
foot of the ant-hill; the whole battalion
in an instance fell upon and overthrow
the ash-colored ants, who, after q short
but obstinate conflict retired to
the bottom of their nest. The other
ants now assembled the hillock, collected
in crowds on the summit, and took
possession of the principal avenues,
leaving some of their companions to
work an opening in the side of the ant.
hill with their teeth. Success crowned
their enterprise, and by the newly-made
breach the remainder of the army
entered. Their sojourn, however, was
of short duration, for in three or foul
minutes they returned by the same
apertures which gave them entrance,
each bearing off in its mouth a larva OF
a pupa. These expeditions generally
start in the afternoon, and are from ono
hundred to two thousand strong.
"Of all the ants" continued tho
naturalist, 1.-THE drivers are the mos
dreaded. They march in columns o
millions, attack the largest animals
enter houses, driving out every living
creature, and spreading devastation
everywhere. In Congo, Africa, the,
have ever been known to kill the sicl
that were left unprotected.
1.-The white ant, though not allied t.
ants proper, is a remarkable creature
and causes much destruction. The,
eat into houses without the slightes
noise, hollow out the pillars, and all Il
once down it comes. Such an astonish
ing spectacle was observed in Ceylol
by Colonel Campbell, IN English officer
He was Sittinr in n larpe d~raWinr-ruon