Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-11-03


oy some thing. Still closer inspection
revealed a pair OF slender, fiat, gray
legs terminating in sharp hooked
claws, which, protruding from a bit |
of moss of the same shade of gray,
were firmly clinched in the body of the
sow-bug. These predaceous legs be-
longed to small jumping-spider, one
of the noble family of Attidg. This
was a veritable Arachnoid bandit. 1t
had made no web, but having lain in
ambush concealed by its perfect imita-
ton of the moss, had apparently
sprung from behind upon the passing
ant. The small size of this bold rob-
ber made it equitable to allow the ant
to fight its own battle; nor was it slow
to accept the challenge. For the first
tine relaxing its hold upon It's burden
II efshea upon the spider with open
isw6 FI.c ssaacryin turn dropped tna
tlFss KIT ss net treatg whereup-.
81 ssae sat affned HI t.ad aps its
journey. ~-. ~.
| had now been watching TINS ztrapge
march for more than an boar and was
beginning to wonder what the end
would be when the ant began to de-
scend the wall voluntarily, between
cracks and in an oblique direction.
Reaching the ground it traversed
with infinite patience the border OF
grass by the roadside, which must
have been for it an almost impenetra-
BILE forest, and reached the sandy and
dusty road. This proved the most
serious obstacle it had yet encountered.
The ridges thrown up by wheels were
steep ranges of hills, rising one after
the other in wearying succession. The
minute sand-grains were loose bowld-
ers which, dislodged at every light
est step, went rolling back into the
valleys, often carrying with them the
persistent traveller. Now was need of
all six legs, and that at their highest
tension of activity. Sometimes they
worked as fast as the wings of hum
ming g-bird, so that the ant seemed al
most to be trying to fly with them.
AT length the road was crossed, and
an area of stubble was reached among
whose brown stalks, fallen leaves and
twigs lost sight of my companion, as
| feared forever.
| was distressed by this accident
perhaps more than would now appear
reasonable; for first, my purpose o1
watching the creature home appeared
to be thwarted after nearly two hours
of close attention under fierce sum
mer sun; and second, | had curiOusly
conceived q sentimental interest il
this insect, based partly on its patien
industry and partly no doubt on al
involuntary investiture of the ant witt
the human feelings of hope, fear an(
determination.
Diligent search failed to discover tn,
plodding ant with his brandished bug
therefore followed for about fifteer
feet the straight line which the an
had traversed since leaving the wall
until came to bank Of earth. whicl
to my surprise and pleasure | foun,
honeycombed with the subterraneal
passages of ants. In front of the mali
entrance, which I found only after re
moving considerable grass, | discov
cred covered approach, like al
arched tunnel, elliptical in section
perhaps an inch in greatest diameter
and extending back for several fee
toward the stone wall. Thi
had been apparently constructe
by biting off the stalks c
grass close to the earth, and for three
| fourths of an inch above it, and leav
ing the tops of the grass, supporte
by Interviewing, for a roof. Throug
this covered arcade, if my reasonin
E were right, my ant. with its sow-bug
} must sooner or later come
Neglecting the dinner hour, there
\ fore, sat down and patiently watche
; and waited. AS the minutes went b
Q however ! became Respondent, an
r was about to rise with some vexatiol
9 when, 10! the slender grasses in fror
: of me, at the hither entrance to tn
5 little covered way, began to Quive
a and in another moment my BRAY
0 soldier emerged, patiently marchin
d homeward, still bearing aloft the gre;
I gray bug.
d Two or three ants rushed forth |
+ his approach to meet him, and to hel
Il him drag his burden in-or possibly
dispute with him the possession-ar
S so, tugging together in friendly toi
> or struggling it may be in fierce co
Q tention, he and the others entered IL
y hill, and as Bunyan has it, event {
g their way, and saw them no more"
e | had watched the ant for near
S two hours and Il half, and during tn
II time he had traversed a distance
Q one hundred and eight feet.-Harlt
|. II. Ballard, IN Wide AUdke.
=