Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1893-08-17
A TEXAS oArEwAY.
Wonderful Ingenuity OF the Tiny Ants
in the lone Stnte.

Wonderful Ingenuity OF the Tiny Ants
in the Lone State.
The author of "Tenants OF an old
Farm" tells of one of the remarkable
habits of the cutting-ants in Texas
as observed by him 1t relates to
the opening and shutting of the
gates which communicate with tho
interior OF the mound nests, which
he found were opened and closed be-
fore and after every exit the ants
make These gates are simply little
heaps of dry leaves, twigs aud other
refuse, which are seen scattered here
and there over the mound as one APP
proaches it in daytime.
When l first saw them l was com
pletely deceived, and thought them
nothing more than accidental accu-
mutations. l found out, however,
that these piles were raised above
the surface opening of the galleries
that penetrated the mound and filled
the mouths to the depth sometimes
of an inch and a half
The leaves ana chips were inter
mingled with pellets of soil, and &C.
casionally below them the gallery
was quite sealed with pellets. The
galleries frequently slant inward
from the gate, and at as great an angle
rs forty-fve degrees Sometimes
they de.lect short distance from the
top. These conlormations allow
more readily the process Of closing,
rs they give Il purchase to the ma
terial used
The doors are opened about dusk.
First appear the minims, the very
small forms. creeping out of minute
holes. which they have doubtless
made by working inside and carrying
grains OF sand away from the heap.
Presently larger forms follow, carry
ing away bits OF refuse, which they
drop Il couple OF inches, more or less,
from the gate
This is a slow process, and appdr-
emily nothing is accomplished for a
long time. But evidently the whole
mass of plugging is thus gradually
loosened. Then comes the final burst,
with soldiers, majors and minors in
the lead, who rush out, bearing be-
fore them the rubbish, which fiies
here and there, and in a few mo-
ments Is cleared away from the gal
lery and spread around tho margin
of the gate.
These chips are doubtless gathered
together for this purpose. and are
among the treasured properties OF
the ants, being kept near by for such
service, 1 easily identified many
pieces as being thus used several
! days in succession.
The doors remain open to give
exit and entrance to the swarmsi of
leaf-gatherers until morning, when
they are gradually closed, the pro-
cess continuing in some cases until
half-past ten. In shutting up the
house the minors appear to begin by
dragging the scattered refuse from
the hole
One by one they are taken in and
the ingenuity shown in this is very
great. The workers proceed by
properly adjusting the longest stalks
and leaves that can stretch across
and wedge into the mouth of the
gallery, and then laying the shorter
ones atop of these.
AS the hole gradually fills up, the
smaller castles of workers appear upon
the field and take up the work to
which their slighter frames are
adapted.
The last touches are carefully and
delicately made by the minims who,
in small squads, fill in the remaining
interstices with minute grains OF
sand; and finally the last laborer
steals in behind some bits of leaf, and
the gate is closed.