The morning times., 1896-07-05
They 's''''sSs
] Carry )
sss.s.... Umbrellas.
They
BY C.. z. HOLDER.
ssssssSSssS


One or the most Interesting sights i
have Witnessed remarked a Naturalist
to a group OF listeners, was an army
of ants marching through South Amer
lean jungle. l had been out all day
hunting butterflies with q native guide,
and almost overcome by the intense heat,
had stretched myself cut beneath a great
mass OF vines which hung from a large
tree when l noticed a column Of ants NOV
ing along at my feet.
There was nothing remarkable in this,
as it was an ant country, where they :it-
orally overran everything; bat these ants,
as though recognizing the tropical heat,
each bore a highly-colOred umbrella in
such a position that il was more or less a
shield and protection. The Umbrella was
a bit of a leaf that had been carefully
bitten out in semi-oval shape. and was an
Umbrella in fancy only, hundreds being car
ried to line subterranean nest deep N
the heart OF the jungle
One OF these nests continued the nat
uralist. II found by following up the train,
and saw the saubas, - these ants are
called pouring into it, each holding the ura-
brella, which was about as large as ten
cent piece, vertically, resembling soldiers
raising banners.
There were three kinds Of ants. These
who carried the leaves We're laborers,
hut not workers. and they merely de-
it was taken in hand ny another kind
of ant the skilled carpenters Of the tribe,
VINO placed the leaves on The wall as a
matching and covered them with Rlobnies
of earth Some OF the nests built IN this
way are two feet high and three or four
feet in diameter-marvcls of constructive
ability
Among the marine animals are many
that construct over and atout themselves
coverings which might not inaptly be
termed umbrellas. This is particularly
noticeable in the sea anemoncs. At times
they are free and unencumhered with for
eign objects; at Others they are completely
covered with plates Cf sand. which they
take from the ground about then. or bits
of seaweed, which forms more or less pro-
lection or covering.
When the anemOueS desire 10 assume
these countless umbrellas they bend over
their tentacies and touch tie ground many
bits OF shell and sand adnerng These
are lifted up and placed upon the sides Of
the creature until finaly it appears to be
covered with a mosaic, which, while a
protection, serves as a disguise, making
the otherwise conspicuous animal resemble
the rocks about it.
By far the most interesting animal
possessing this habit is the sea urchin.
that locks like pin-CuShion. being Gov
cred with long or short slender bristles
according 10 the species. How the sea
Grchin. with its stiff Spiues, can lift
scores OF minute stoucs and bits OF she'll
distributing them over its hody in sueh
numbers that collectively they form ao
umbrella like covering. would appear "A
mystery. which, however. is solved upcn
an examination of the urchin. The spines
are not the only organs; hut from among
them rise two other suckers with little
disks attached to them. and other or
rans that have long stalks gpon the end
or top of which is perched little feeler
with three hitting teeth. These feeleTs
stationed on the lower part of the ~
chin. pick up particles OF sand and shell
and pass them to others higher up. spd
so. by continued passing. the piece Of
she'll travels up to the dome Of the ant
NAL and there finds place among the
spines. This is repeated an indefinite
number of times until tie uF,Iiin is COM
plctely covered by strnu. umbrella.
poised. as 1t were. upon the spines, af-
fording more or less protection Some
times the animal disdains cnc oi shell or
stone, and spreads over itself canopy
of weeds. ribbon Of green zostera or oIe
of brighter hue-a decoration more or
less aesthetic.