The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-15

, the most docile of domestic animals,
is treated with Indifference or cruelty
prosecuted by its fellows Some spe-
cies OF ants, however, notably FOrnlicd
| fuSca, exhibit unmistakable sentiments
of pity and affection for their sick and
helpless companions. This fact was
established by Lubbock in a number OF
interesting experiments. He mentions
the case of an ant that through wounds
Or disease had become entirely help
less, not being able even to feed itself
The other ants attended her with the
greatest care, feeding her and moving
her from place to place as her comfort
required. As often as he uncovered
the part of the nest where she lay, so
that the rays of the sun beat upon her,
they carried her off again to a shady
place; and whenever they left the nest
for fresh air. they carried her with
them, bearing her tenderly back again
on their return. These attentions were
kept up for many days. until at last
the poor ant succumbed to the inevita-
bic in spite of all their friendly nurs-
ing.
Not the least wonderful feature of
ant life, is their ability under all cir
cumstanceS. TO recognize their friends
and detect their enemies. An ant COM
munity consists of many thousand in
dividuals, yet every member of the
colony will recognize any other men,
ber, no matter where or under what
circumstances they may meet, or
whether they have ever met before.
BY a large number of experiments, Sir
John Lubbock established beyond n
doubt the following strange facts: Ants
of one community invariably destroy
those of another. though even of the
same species, if found intruding in their
nest; and they never fail to detect a
stranger at sight. Yet individuals that
have been separated from their own
nests for months, or wears, are al
ways recognized and received on the
best of terms when returned to it.
More wonderful still, he repeatedly
transferred the eggs from one nest to
another Of the same species, and there
had them Matched and reared. When
fully matured he returned them to the
nest from which they had been taken
as eggs, and they were invariably re-
cognized and received as friends, al
though strangers introduced from the
same nest at the same time were in
stantly destroyed.
Do not these wonderful facts sustain
our claim, that of all the inferior an
imals the ant has attained the highest
Intellectual development! When we
find these little creatures living in regu-
larly organized governments. building
complicated dwellings, constructing
paved highways of great extent, eXca-
waiting wells and tunnels, cultivating
and harvesting grain, breeding and
tending a variety of domestic animals.
their meat in summer and
gathering their food in the harvest,
waging organized warfare for definite
manufacturing sugar, employ
ing slaves, communicating definite
ideas, to one another able to recognize
their friends after long separation or
whom they have never seen, exhibiting
unmistakably sych moral sentiments rs
pity and affection for their fellows, and
all work among their sew
eval classes in accordance with the
most economical division of labor, are
we not almost justified in regarding
them as reasoning beings? This is the
question that is now seriously proposed
by eminent writers on natural history.
j. A. j.