Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-03-08
THE ANTS BRAIN.
Almost Inflnitesimal, but Worthy
of Patient Study. s.
Tho Language of Ants-How the Little
Creatures Make War-Weight OF
Brain-As Wonderful as the
Milky Way.


that of birds, dogs, apes or any of the
higher animals of the geological king
dom. Have they spoken languageP
The probability is that they have, for
their anatomy shows the presence of
stridulent organ, that seem to possess
no other function. But they commune
cate their thoughts principally by
means of their antennm. 2N
For an example, disturb the ants
above nest. Immediately body of
them rush wildly into the corridors,
spread the alarm in the community,
and in the twinkling of an eye this lit
tie world is in revolt. While some of
the workers hasten to carry the Larvae
and pupa to the most secret recesses
of the establishment others valiantly
hurry out to reconnoiter the danger
and repulse the enemy. Watch those
furthest removed from the scene of
action; how by two or three rubbings
of their antenne they convey to each
other the wild alarm. If an open jar
of preserves is to be attacked, the
first ant, by helping herself and max
ing practical illustration of the
proverb that charity should be-
gin at home, will leave the feast
to return with four or FIVE friends, who
initiating her example, by first satisfy
ing themselves. will hasten to collect
horde of companions. who immedi-
ately yield themselves over to the
pleasures of the hour. Lubbock has
proven that when there are larv@ to
be carried about the number of ants
serving corresponds with the number
of loads to be carried.
At times two ants are seen to meet,
question each other by their antenne,
and, both being of mind, to grapple
in several lusty boxing rounds, equal
to any of those of the boxers at our
fairs. This fact, cited by Huber, has
been studiously investigated. Again,
one is seen trying to convince another
by means of pantomime, and, failing
to do so, resorts to means shorter
than discussion, by carrying her off on
her shoulders to the point in view.
To believe that they communicate
their thoughts, and that they under
stand each other in matters of mo-
ment, one has but to view their archi-
tectural works, their masonry, theil
carpentry, their care of the soil, their
working and military organizations in
order to be convinced.
The conclusion arrived at every
time there is occasion to prove one il
that all this is the result not of in,
stinct, but of intelligence.
One day silkgrower saw that some
ants with sweet tooth for his silk
worms had climbed one of his null
berry trees and attacked and thrown
the worms to the ground, where they
were .hurriedly carried away by tn,
carriers. Wanting to put stop II
the theft, M. P. Besson, the narrator
ancircled the trunk of the tree with
ring of bird lime, which, for four days
proved an impossible barrier. BY tn,
fifth the emergency had developed a
engineer-an ant with big grain o
sand In her jaws deposited 1t In tn
lime, and then descended. Soon sh
was followed by others, who came t,
test this embryo bridge, and in turn de
z scended. After ten minutes every an
climbing the tree carried her grain O
sand. Half an hours work prove,
sufficient to make the bridge span tn
entire circle of lime. and prove larg
enough to yield passage to four ant
walking abreast The owner had no
the heart to destroy their work, an,
as reward for their skill abandone,
the tree to them.
We have seen ants on an expedi
ton, when interrupted by o stream
form a pontoon bridge of worker
hitched one to another, over who's
backs the army has passed dry shod
The passage made, the pontooner
separated, and with many ineffectus
efforts regained the shore as best the
could. aH
All these facts show indisputabl
mental capacity. The study of .thi
tiny creation reverses strangely tn
preconceived idea of man upon the in
feriority of insects. After examinin
an ant hill, seeing the Larvae ranged i
their cradles. taken about from plac
to place during the day as the sun
rays grow warm, tended with delicat
and constant care by the nurses, VIII
love them better than themselves; see
the nurses watch with anxiety the lea:
movement of the head, and before the
have time to be hungry put into thei
mouths drop of nutritive liquid. an
at the birth of the pupa seen the nurse
aid nature by tearing with their maj