The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-09
THE ANTS BRAIN.
Almost InhnitesimaL but Worthy
of Patient Study.
The Language of Ants-How the Little
Creatures Make War-Weight of
Brain-ks Wonderful as the
Milky Way.

MILKY way
Ants have language far superior Il
that of birds, dogs, apes or any of thu
higher animals of the geological king
dom. Have they spoken languagei
The probability is that they have, fol-
their anatomy shows the presence O.
stridulent organs that seem to posses.
no other function. But they commune
cate their thoughts principally by
means of their antenn2.
For an example, disturb the ant:
above a nest. Immediately body O
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 o.
the workers hasten to carry the larva
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 rubbing:
of their antenne they convey to each
other'the wild alarm. If an open iaI
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 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 meet,
question each other bv their antennp,
and, both being of mind, to grapple
in several lusty boxing rounds, equal
10 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, their
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 is
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 the
carriers. Wanting to put a stop to
the theft, NJ. P Besson, the narrator.
encircled the trunk of the tree with =
ring of bird lime, which, for four DAYS.
proved an impossible barrier By the
fifth the emergency had developed an
engineer-an ant with 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 20 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
rs a reward for their skill abandoned
the tree TO them.
We have seen ants on an eSnedi-
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.
All these facts show indisputable
mental capacity. The study of this
tiny creation reverses strangely the
preconceived idea of man upon the in
feriOrity of insects. After examining
IN ant hill, seeing the Larvae ranged in
their cradles. taken about from place
to place during the day as the suns
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 leas.
movement of the head, and before they
have time TO be hungry put into their
mouths drop of nutritive liquid. and
ut the birth of the pupa seen the nurses
aid nature by tearing with their man.
dihles the silken tissue, one feels that
he knows these little beings quite
Familiarity. But aside from these traits
of town life we find them possessed
with others which, I'll US with astonish-
ment and wonder.
Sec their cattle. thor mich cows.
their stabics. Strange as il may APP
pear. many of them own cows that
they tend aud mix, herds that they