Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-07-12
ANTS AS ARCHITECTS.
The Principle OF CONSTRUCTION Illus
tated Ia Their Burrows.

In these days Of Photographic per-
f"tion, when the mysterious pne,
nomena of the deep sen as well rs
the strange formations on the moon
are pictured to MS with marvellous nc.
cunty, biologists are also enabled to
view and study the wonderful under.
gl"rnd mansions OF the thrifty ants
better than ever before. Aud the more
photography, with Its high rcproduc,
tive powers, exposes their dark bur-
ROWS 70 view the more obvious appears
THEW sagacity to the scientists, so that
IN his respect they seem to excel all
other species OF animal creation, An
examination OF the ant burrows, or
winch the apartments are so intricate
aud yet so proyldenly eXpedient in all
th%r details, provokes inyoluntarily
the question, Whence do these little
hll builders derive their architectural
Instinct?
" hat is most remarkable about the
brnClng operations OF the ants IL that
the Dimensions OF their constructions
NV w bN''''h'iNaiJ fi'F'i'i'hoi XIV
sn aller the community the smaller
tn nest, and vice versa. Yet Il meas
urument OF the cells and Railways To.
veals invariably an exact ratio be
tween the large and small habitations.
There Is Of course Il wide difference
between the various groups In the
mode Of construction, In the locat lon,
and IN the material used. Most groups
build underground, some, like the
white ants, erect large hills above
ground which are sometimes from ~
to II feet high, others again raise
their habltations IN trees, on walls,
and houseroofs. AS our cut shows,
all the cells and Railways OF the un.
foreground constructions are connected,
while some OF the corridors lead out.
side. 1t often occurs that several com
panies club together IN their building
operations, when 1t Is found that al
though each burrow Is complete In
itself, yet all have regular street con
ncctions. Then again, several species
will often build their nests under one
single stone, and yet they are secure
~ separated by substantial stone or
wooden walls.
surely Solomon could not have point
ed TO better example of thrift IND
industry, for with the ant only death
means failure. Destroy their houses
ana villages again and again, and just
AS often they pitch In on the same
drudgery. A group, occurring In Swift
erlund aud known to naturalists AZ
lasius fultdonosus, make wooden nests
oul of small splinters and chips, which
they cement together by a salival liq-
uid which they are able to secrete by
partaking OF certain fruits and herbs.
1t Ii a weliknown fact that some
species like the Amazon ants Ill up
their working force by raids and for
ages Oh the nests Of less powerful com
munities. They Will pounce In com
pact array on their neighbors, steal
their pupae or immature young and
make slaves out OF them As among
th5 descendants Of Adam and Eve.
there are peaceful and civilized ma
tons and also blood-thlrsty barbara
hHS, ~ tbs ant5 hluy w uisiucu "a
peaceful and warring tribes. The lat
ter are represented by the foraging
ants OF South America. Mcssrs. Bates
and Bert In their accounts relate some
bad tales Of this species. These ants
are truly carniyorous In their tastes, |
and rayage whole districts, their |
march being regarded with terror by
the natives OF Central America. The
Eciton predator will hunt In dense
hordes and march rapidly over ter.
ritory. A moving phalanx OF this
species will extend over from four
Il six yards, and any unwary insect
meeting with or falling into the ser.
RED ranks Is soon torn to pieces and !