The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-19
ANTS THAT EAT Up HOUSES
Specimens Of the Destructive Term
lite of Tropical America.
From the New York Herald.

Tue III EOUlchl NmtElfAs
From the New York Herald.
The chronological department of the
American Museum of Natural History has
been enriched by the addition of structures
built by the white ant or termite of the
tropical region of this hemisphere collect
ed by Mr.. Francis c. Nicholas. a mining
engineer of No. Ill Broadway, and pre-
sented TO the museum by Mr.. Henry c.
Pratt Specimens Of the little insects were
included in the gift and these, too, will be
placed on exhibition in a short time in
connection with the structures, which are
displayed on the gallery floor Of the east
wing.
OF these white ants from tropical
America little is known, and their classi-
fication is far from complete. The struct-
ures exhibited are the nests of the ter
mite, and Mr.. William Beutenmuller the
curator of the department of entomology.
who has bestowed much study on the sub
ject, says they are the only specimens Of
the kind in this country.
The largest of the nests, which in reality
is an ant hill, comes from the United
States Of Colombia. 1t is conical in shape,
and is composed of mud and wood pulp. 1t
is about six feet in hight, and originally
rested on the ground A cross section
shows that the interior contains innumer-
able chambers and passageways. The
other specimens, OF which there are two,
are displayed in their original positions
attached to parts of trees. one is pear
shaped and comes from Hayti, and the
other is irregular in form and was found
near Kingston. Jamaica
The inhabitants Of all three structures
possess similar characteristics, being d.
vided into four classes, known as the
males and females. the workers and the
soldiers The males and females have
eyes and wings, which workers and sol
diers do not possess. The females how
ever, lose their wings after swarming and
while stll young. Those that do not
perish return to the nest to become queens
or found new colonies. The full grown
queen is a most sedentary and august
parsonage, for she never leaves the royal
chamber after reaching maturity. She
is in fact prisoner, for the openings to
her chamber are 50 small that she can
not pass out. She Is many times larger
than her subjects.
The males apparently have little to do,
while the poor workers perform all the
labor for the colony. This ant Is an in
domitable laborer, and does everything in
the line of work, from building the nest
10 preparing food for and feeding the
young OF the queen. The worker appears
TO have a distinct sense Of its own, which
compensates for the lack of sight.
The soldier is valiant denizen Of the
community. If. while patrolling the pas
saRes that lead to the nest. the insect dis
covers a part that is broken IL straight
way rushes to the nest and rallies all the
available workers and summons a num-
Der OF fellow soldiers, who stand guard to
protect the workers from attack while
repairing the break. when they are the
last to enter the passage.
They display ingenuity in forming a de-
Tense and display great heroism. They
have pear-shaped heads, which terminate
al the nose IN sharp point A tube runs
to the rear OF the head from this point
and connects with a magazine surround
ed with strong muscles. These contract
Ing. discharge 40 offensive gluunous shot
that renders hors Dc combat an antagonist
twice the size OF the soldier
The termlte Is a highly destructive crea-
ture. Its dict consists OF wood and be-
ing voracious eater, residences. furni-
turc and all other things made Of wood
other than Spanish cedar arc damaged be-
youd repair ~ once attacked. on this ac-
count the Interiors 81 most houses where
the termite exists are constructed OF sqan-
ish cedar the odor of which Us said 20 re-
pei the insects. The destructive fcasts OF
the httlc white ant have caused the loss
OF millions OF dollars 10 the plnama Ca
nal Company and the Panama Railroad
Company