The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-11-27
HABITS OF ANTS.
How Almost Human They Are in Their
AL. Passions and Amusements.

IN spite OF tne multlIarlouS duties anG
tasks that are imposed on these tiny
burghers they still find time to clean
and adorn their worthy little persons.
No spot, no atom of dust or any thing
else uncleanly will they tolerate on
their bodies. They get rid of the dirt
with the brushy tufts on their feet or
with their tongue. They act, for al
the world, like domestic cats when they
clean and lick themselves; and they as.
sist one another at the toilet precisely
like monkeys. Their sense of cleanli.
ness goes so far that the naturalist
often finds, to his unpleasant surprise,
the cOlored marks that he had applied
with so much care on his trial ants"
removed by their dirt-hating friends.
They keep their dwellings just as clean
ly. But the conveying away of their
deceased brethren, whose dead bodies
they appear to regard with the greatest
antipathy, gives them more trouble
than any thing else. When some men,
bers of an ant community, which / kept
imprisoned, died and could not be re-
moved. those remaining seemed affect
ed with the greatest horror. For days
the itsccts ran about seeking way out,
and ceased only when completely ex-
hausted. The ants belonging to the
camponotus species seized the dead and
threw them into WATERFALL which
they converted into a sepulcher Ordi-
narily, though, the ants are said to
treat their dead with more reverence.
They even possess their own grave
yards, which lie in the vicinity of their
nests. They convey their deceased
companions thither, where they lay
them down in orderly little heaps or
in rows.
1t is from life full of labor, hardship
and strife that death releases these active
little animals. When not engaged in
labor they are busy in defense. Senti.
nels posted in commanding positions
guard them from surprises of every
kind. As soon as danger is threatened
the citizens of the state, at the alarm
signal of the pickets, dart out Of theiI
habitations. From nocturnal dangers
their houses protect them, since they
barricade the entrances with leaves and
little sticks. And that is accomplished,
according to Mr.. Cook, in the following
manner: The large workers first drag
up heavy material, and, having placed
it in position, disappear inside of the
nest. Then the ants of medium size fol.
low with material corresponding to their
strength. And finally the smallest mem
bers of the community bring up grains
of sand and fragments of earth to COM
plete the barricade. Tho doors are
closed behind them until the dawn Of
the next day, and then the exit occurs
in reverse order. The small ones are
the first and the large ones the last of
the column. But ants are not merely
acquainted with the earnest side of life;
they are susceptible to its joys and
amusements as well. Just as kids in
the wantonness of youthful spirits cha!'
lenge one another to mimic combat in
the meadow, so do the else so industr.
Gus emmets. With feelers and feet the
combative individual urges on its com
panions until they accept the challenge
Standing on their hind feet they grasp
each other with the front ones and apply
rapidly both head and jaws. Then they
let 90, turn round and take hold again,
like boys wrestling. After having salts
factorily tested their respective strength
they separate peacefully.
When they fight in earnest the result
of the duel is quite different. As With
the heroes of antiquity, the single com.
bats take place under the
eyes of the opposing armies, Other
wise and especially when far away from
the nest, the hostile ants avoid each
other, or the weaker surrender at dis
erection. In the face of the embattleG
armies, however, where they find sup,
port, the adversaries rush upon each
other furiously. The antennG are thrown
back and the jaws widely opened,
Amid biting and stabbing the desper.
ate scuifle goes on. Then there is 9
pushing against one another, showing
backward and forward, a hurling to the
ground and rolling over one another
until at last one of the combatauts sue
cumbs, or the duel remains undecided,
ending with the complete exhaustion o.
the antagonists. The secretion of the
, poison glands, the well-known formlc
acid, serves as missile weapons in BAT.
, tie, the jaws for gripping and striking
, and the sting for stabbing
these battles OF the ants are Obsti-.
| nately fought and bloody in the extreme
l Differences with regard to territorial
| boundaries, thievish forays and invas
= ions for the purpose of procuring slave,
are generally the cacuS beii. While
: the battle is in progress, columns o
3 troops are constantly coming and going
} transporting prisoners or bring up re
r Inducements. 1t is not rare for bat
7 tie to last an. entire day, and wholt
7 armies are sometimes annibilated, S,
! that innumerable bodies Of the dea,
: and wounded cover the feld.-PaaGdsI
: piia Times. 'r."'
z "A Colorado jury found that tn
J dpath Of q Gambler. who had been killpt