Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-08-06
UMBRELLA CARRIERS.
Ants, sea UrchIns and Anemones Afec
sunshadea.


"Ous Of the most interesting sights
have witnessed, " remarked q naturalist to
o group Of listeners, twas an army Of ants
marching through South American tun-
gle had been out oil day hunting but
terflies with o native guide, and, almost
overcome by the intense heat, had stretched
myself out beneath great mass of vines
which hung from lnrge tree, when no.
ticed O column of ants moving along at
my feet
"There was nothing remarkable In this,
as it was an ant country, where they liter
ally overran everything, but these ants, as
though recognizing the tropical heat, each
bore q highly colored umbrella in such q
position that it was more or less shield
and protection. The umbrella was bit or
a leaf that had been carefully bitten out
In semioval shape, and was an umbrella
in fancy only, hundreds being carried to
line a subterranean nest deep In the heart
Of the jungle
lone of these nests" continued the nat
uralist, I" / found by following up the
train and saw the saubas, as these ents
are called, pouring into 1t, each holding
the umbrella, which was about as large as
10 cent piece vertically, resembling SOL
diers raising banners
There were three kinds of ants Those
who carried the leaves were laborers but
not workers, and they merely deposited
the bit of leaf IN the nest, where 1t was
taken In hand by another kind of ant, the
skilled carpenters of the tribe, who placed
the leaves on the wall as thatching and
covered them with globules Of earth. Some
of the nests built In this way are feet
high and 8 or feet in diameter-marvels
of constructive ability"
Among the marine animals are many
that construct over and about themselves
coverings which might not inaptly be
termed umbrellas This Is particularly
noticeable In the sea enemones. At times
| they are free and unincumbered with for.
eign objects; at others they are completely
covered with plates Of sand, which they
take from the ground about them, or bits
Of seaweed, which forms more or less pro
lection or covering.
When the anemones desire to assume
these corntless umbrellas, they bend ovel
their tentacles and touch the ground, many
bits of shell and sand adhertng. These art
lifted up and placed upon the sides of the
creature until finally 1t appears to be Gov
cred with mosaic. which, while O protec
ton, serves as disguise, making the otr
erwise conspicuous animal resemble the
rocks about tt
BY far the most interesting animal pos
sesstng this habit is the sea urchin tina,
looks like pincushion, being covered
with long or short slender bristles accord
ing TO the species How the sea uTchin
with its stiff spines, can lift scores of mi
mute stones and bits of shell, distributing
them over Its body in such numbers thai
collectively they form an umbrellalike GOV
ering, would appear @ mystery which, how
ever, Is solved upon an examination Of tht
urchin The spines are not the only or
| gans, but from among them rise two othel
suckers with little disks attached to them
and other organs that have long stalk!
upon the end or top of which is perched {
little feeler with three biting teeth. Thest
| feelers, stationed on the lower part of tht
urchin- pick up particles of sand and shell
and pass them TO others higher up, and 81
by continued passing the piece of shel
travels up to the dome Of the animal ant
there finds place among the spines Thi!
is repeated an indefinite number of time!
| until the urchin Is completely covered by
a strong umbrella, poised, as 1t were, upor
the spines, affording more OF less protec
ton. Sometimes the animal disdains on,
Of shell or stone and spreads over itself {
canopy Of weed, ribbon of green zosters
| or one Of brighter hue-a decoration NOR
or Less Bsthetio. Exchange