The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-12-02
HABITS OF CERTAIN ANTS.
HOW ALMOST HUMAN THEY APP
PEAR TO BE IN THEIR PASSIONS.

PEAR TO BE IN THEIR PASSIONS.
Their Sense of Cleanliness-Care of Their
Dead-A Lite of Labor, Hardship and
strife-Fighting In Single Combat
Bloody Battles.
In spite of the multifarious duties and
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 anything else uncleanly will they
tolerate on their bodies. They get rid of the
dirt with the brushy tufts ON their feet OF
with their tongue. They act, for all the
world, like domestic cats when they clean
and lick themselves; and they assist one an
other at the toilet precisely like monkeys
Their sense OF cleanliness goes so far that the
naturalist often finds, to his unpleasant sur
prise, 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 clearly.
But the conveying away of their deceased
brethren, whose dead bodies they appear to
regard with the greatest antipa.ay gives
them more trouble than anything else.
When some members of an ant community,
which kept imprisoned, died and could not
be removed those remaining seemed affected
with the greatest horror. For 4 sc the in
sects ran about seeking a way cut, and
ceased only when completely exhausted. The
ants belonging to the camponotus species
seized the dead and threw then into u water
pail, which they converted into a scpIlelTe
Ordinarily, though, the ants are said to treat
their dead with more reverence They even
possess their own graveyards, which lie III the
vicinity of their nests. They convey their
deceased companions thither, where they lay
them down in orderly little heaps or in rows.
LIFE OF LABOR.
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. Sentines posted in COM
manding positions guard them from sur
prises of every kind. As soon as danger is
threatened the citizens of the state, at the
alarm signal Of the pickets, dart out Of theil
habitatons. From nocturnal dangers theiI
houses protect them, since they baITicade the
entrances with leaves and little sticks AnC
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, dipappear in the inside
of the nest. Then the ants of medium szC
follow with material corresponding to thei
strength. And finally the smallest member
of the community bring up grains of sane
and fragments of earth to complete the baiTi
cade.
The doors are closed behind them until tn
dawn of the next day, and then the exit oc
ours in reverse order. The small ones ar
the first and the large ones the last of tn
column.
But ants are not merely acquainted wit
the earnest side of life; they are susceptible
to its joys and amusements as we'll just a
kids in the wantonness of youthful spirit
challenge one another to mimic combat i
the meadow, SO do the else SO industriou
emments. With feelers and feet the comba
i've individual urges ON its companions unit
they accept the challenge Standing on the
hind feet they grasp each other with Il
front ones and apply rapidly both head an
jaws Then they let go, turn round and tai
hold again, like boys wrestling. After ha'
ing satisfactorily tested their respectiy
strength they separate peacefully
FIGHTING IN SINGLE CoMBATs.
When they fight in earnest the result of IL
duel is quite different. AS with the heroes
antiquity, the single combats take place Ill
der the eyes Of the opposing armies. Othe
wise and especially when far away from IL
nest, the hostile ants avoid each other, or IL
weaker surrender at discretion. In the fa'
of the embattled armies, however, where the
|
other furiously. The antenne are throw
back and the jaws widely opened Am
biting and stabbing the desperate scuflle go
on. Then there is pushing against OF
another, showing backward and forward,
hurting to the ground and rolling over OF
another, until at last one of the combatan
succumbs, or the duel remains undecide
ending with the complete exhaustion Of Il
! antagonists. The secretion of the poisc
, glands, the well known formic acid, serves
missile weapons in battle, the jaws for gri
ping and striking and the sting for stabbin
! These battles of the ants are obstinate
fought and bloody in the extreme. Diffe
, ences in regard to territorial boundarie
thievish forays and invasions for the purpo
! Of procuring slaves are generally the cas-
a belli While the battle is in progress column
/ of troops are constantly coming and goin
r transporting prisoners or bringing up rec
, forcements. 1t Is not rare for battle to la
4 an entire day, and whole armies are som
9 times annihilated, so that innumerable bodi
!, of the dead and wounded cover the field.
Specialist Cook in The Cosmopolitan.
n The American Abroad.
g These antiquity stores have made MAJ
!. fine old paintings, and they do great bu
,,asa with Americana The Dutch mercha