The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-03-10
SOME TEXAS ANTS.
sThey Keep Dairics, Raise Crops, and Con-
struct Incubators.


was, while lying in the shade of large
pecan tree noticed small family of
aphides on the leaf of cotton stalk
and was not a little surprised a moment
later on seeing u large red ant with
black head and long legs emerge from
the under side of the leaf. l soon
recognized him as one of the we'll
know pastoral ants (hypochncs,) in
dustrially the lowest of the ant family,
and who lead a lonely life, like the old
Syriac shepherds tending their pigmy
cows On the same leaf noticed fell
low herder, who was tending still
smaller flock. Both went about from
time to time and gently strolxing
with their antennn the two tube
like protuberances ON the abdomen in
:luced a slight flow of that sweet liquor,
the honey dew of the apir These crys-
tai beads of honey they dexterously
licked off before they fell on the leaf,
and quickly hurried away to repeat the
same operation on another aphide.
The sngacity of the shepherd ant is
only rivaled by that of the farmer ant,
also native of far western Texas.
These remarkable insects, according to
some writers. plant each year a crop of
ant rice, a cereal seemingly originated
by some for:nic agriculturist in bygone
ages, and when the crop is ripe they
gather it into subterranean granaries,
always reserving store for planting.
Somewhat resembling in occupation
the farmer ant, Texas can boast many
colonies Of the umbrella or leaf-cutting
ant, SO common and destructive in
Mexico. and Central America. In the
latter countries they are quite destruc-
tive, often destroying large trees, and
their depredations have to be guarded
against by means of woollen fillets
wound about the trunks of the trees
Many notions. wholly without founda-
ton, seem to be current concerning
these strange little pests. Their meth
cd of operation, so far as l have OBJ
served in Fort Bend county, is to strip
only the smaller trees and shrubs. The
leaves are not cut into disc-shaped
pieces, as commonly supposed but in
any form t. quits the artistic fancy of
the ant TO facilitate progress to and
from the lcaf-cutting grounds and
nest, the ants construct or clear broad
smooth roads, often as much as two
hundred yards in length and six to eight
inches broad. These roads display con-
siderable engineering skill, abounding
in curves, grades and even tunnels. The
leaf cutters seem to be the most in
dustrious of all the ant family; big, lit
tie, old and young seeming to be ami
mated with an almost insane desire to
do his share of the work. Nothing
could lie more amusing than to see a
little fellow. not more than the fourth
of an inch long, hurrying madly along
with huge leaf deXterously held in
his mandiblcs. The nest of the UNI
brella ant is very poor affair, and
bears about the same relation to the
neat tunnels of the farming ant that
substantial home of the prosperous
farmer. Any rude hole or hollow log
serves the leaf gatherer as storeroom
where he puts away his hotbeds to
hatch ont the eggs deposited by the
female. The leaf cutter is thus the
original inventor of the incubator, al
though his rights have never been rec
cognized by letters patent
In New Mexico and northern Mexico
is to be found the honey ant sold as
CONNECTIONS by the Mexicans, which are
eaten something like grapes. Unlike
the bee, the ant is unable to secrete
wax or otherwise make a suitable re-
ceptacle for his gathered honey, but in
the face of these difficulties he has
solved the problem completely. Certain
members, very patriotic ones doubtless,
are selected. who act as honey jars for
the workers. These martyrs stay at
home and bravely swallow the gath
cred honey until their gradually dis
tending abdolnens will hold no more;
and as they hang suspended like SO
many golden drops from the sides OF
the tunnel they have the appearance,
though not the sentiments, of bloated
capitalists, profting in idleness by the
labors Of their fellow beings. The life
of the honey keeper is no sinecure. His
duties are arduous and require the
greatest care When the honey season
is over he it is who feeds the idle hands
regurgitating a drop Of honey when
ever check on the larder is presented
the latter consisting of certain wei
defined strokes on the head and body
by the hungry ant. Some malignan,
Investigators, whose whole desire seem.
to be to fasten on these exemplary lit
le animals the vices of men, claim tina,
there is to be found parasitic bug il
the nests of the honey ant which, al
the solicitation of thirsty members
yields an alcoholic liquor something
similar to beer. Ths methods OF the
formic topers are said - be similar tt
those OF the enlightened Caucasian
consisting in certain winle and ex
pressive crookings Of the elbews. Gal
weston News
Handkerchief were brought int
general use during the empire il
France. The Empress Josephine hat