The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-07-06
INTELLIGENT INSECTS.
The Curious Maneuver of Col
ony of Brown Ants.
They Deliberately Plan and Successfully
Execute an Expedition to Capture An
other Colony-EvIdcnce That They
Possess Reasoning Powers.

Although tho following fact relative
to the habits Of ants is we'll known,
nave never seen ii described with the
marked characters and in the clearly
defined form in which have Just OBJ
served it.
Saturday, July II. 1858, while the
sun was shining brightly, | was walk
ing on road running north and south,
and which, at point that l had
reached, skirted q garden wall.
soon observed at my left, toward the
wall. 4 whole legion of brown ants OF
quite u large size that were moving
with a quicEcned pace. and in good
order. in tho same direction. The
co!u3aA vas about eight inches in
wid&h and nearly sixteen feet in
length. 1t started from piece of
ground little higher than the road
way and covered with grass and
weeds. From this it descended by a
foot path inclined more than forty-fve
degrees. at the center of which it
turned abruptly at right angles in Or
der to follow the road. | quickened
my pace and reached the head of the
column, which was very sharply de-
fined, and followed it attentively in
order to see what could be the object
of the expedition, for it was clear that
it was a question: of the carrying out
of wcll-determined plan. l
had already remarked with sur
prise that. during the march
OF this army, several ants, seeming to
have changed their mind were retrac-
ing their steps and traversing all the
ranks; but soon saw them turn about
again, after advising with some of
their companions which they had
sought. Having reached the large
garden gate, the head of the column
stopped. and all the new corners
grouped themselves in u circle of wide
diameter 1t was evident that the
ants had united in Il council of war,
and that they were debating upon some
plan of prudence to follow. The cir
Gle, in fact, soon opened, and the ants
began to pass under the leaves of the
gate. no longer in u serried column,
but scattered over q wide space. and
walking more slowly and with deliber-
alton. | saw them move in the di-
rection of grass plat, and here lost
sight of them. | was feverish that
day, and out of humor, and | walked
along gloomily, thinking of what had
just observed. l thought it was some
unfortunate colony that had exiled
itself from its domicile in order to seek
more propitious skies. l was thor
oughly deceived. Ihad just witnessed
premeditatcd pillaging expedition.
Returning by the same route in the
course of half an hour, snw my ants
triumphantly starting for home, each
holding in its mandibles large ants
egg, doubtless of another species.
Each was proceeding on it's own hook,
and endeavoring not to lose its prey.
Was it, in fact, prey that they had just
sought for their table, by barbarous
refinement of taste? Or was it, rather,
eggs that they wished to have Matched
In their own domiciles in order to con-
vert the young ants into slaves. of
which, by just retribution, they in
turn woald become the slaves, by losing
the habit of working? Was it an
odious act of rapine and violence that
had just witnessed, or must we admit
that ants thus deprived of their pro-
geniture willing resign themselves to
their fate and are predestined thereto?
AT all events, the defense, if defense
there had been, could not have been
very energetic. The pillagers were
not pursued, and not a wounded in
dividual appeared among the victors.
The first part Of the drama had sad
dened me. but had left me with false
notion; the end saddened me more vet.
consoled myself, however, by saying
to myself that if these slave-making
ants are not better than their
similars among men, they at least
understand their true interests
better. They do not maltreat
their victims very much, since they
eventually become the humble vassals
OF the latter. And then, thought l,