Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-02-23
THE ANTS BRAIN.
Almost Inf1nitesimal, but Worthy
Of Patient Study.
The Language OF Ants-How thu Little
Creatures Make War-WeIsht OF
Erain-As Wonderful as the
Milky Way.

Brain-As Wonderful as the
Milky Way.
Ants have language far superior to
that of birds, dogs. apes or any of the
higher animals of the geological king
dom. Have they spoken language?
The probability is that they have, for
their anatomy shows the presence of
stridulent organs that seem to possess
no other function. But they commune
cate their thoughts principally by
means of their antennH.
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 antennn they convey to each
other the wild alarm. If an open lar
of preserves is to be attacked, the
first ant. by helping herself, and max
ing practical illustration of the
provevb that charity should be-
gin ut 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 Larvae 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 mecA
question each other by their antenna,
and. both being of a mind, to grapple
III several lusty boxing rounds. equal
40 any of those of the boxers at our
fairs. This fact, cited by Huber, has
been s:udiously investigated. Again,
one is seen trying to convince another
by means of pantomime. and, failing
10 do so. resorts to 4 means shorter
than discussion. by carrying her of 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-
fectural works, their masonry, their
carpentry. their care of the soil, their
working and military organizations in
order to be convinced
The conclusion arrived Mt every
time there is occasion to prove one is
that all this is the result not of in
stinct. but of intelligence.
One day silkgrower saw that some
ants with a 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 the
carriers. Wanting to put stop to
the theft. NJ. 2. Besson. the narrator.
encircled the trunk of the tree with a
ring of bird lime. which. for four DAYS.
proved an impossible barrier. By the |
fifth the emergency had developed an
engineer-an ant with u big grain of |
sand in her jaws deposited it in the
lime. and then descended. Soon she
was followed by others. who came to
test this embryo bridge. and in turn de- |
scended. After ten minutes every ant |
climbing the tree carried her grain of !
sand. Half an hours work proved |
sufficient to make the bridge span the
entire circle of lime. and prove large
enough to yield passage to four ants
walking abreast. The owner had not |
the heart to destroy their work. and
as a reward for their skill abandoned
the tree to them.
We have seen ants on an expedi-
ton. when interrupted by a stream,
form a pontoon bridge of workers
hitched one to another. over whose
backs the army has passed dry shod.
The passage made, the pontooners
separated. and with many Intellectual
efforts regained the shore as best they
could.
Al! these facts show indisputable
mental capacity. The study of this
tiny creation reverses strangely the
preconceived idea of man upon the in
fersOrity of insects. After examining
an ant hill. seeing the larve ranged IN
their cradles. taken about from place
to place during the day as the SUMS
rays grow warm. tended with delicate
and constant care by the nurses, who
love them better than themselves; seen
the nurses watch with anxiety the least