Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-07-01
In the Ant World.

When the summer vacation comes
every boy and girl who goes into the
country will some day come upon
colony of ants, either in the woods or
along the roadside. If you have never
watched the little creatures it will pay
you to do so every time you come
across them, for they are most in
teresting study.
Sir John Lubbock, as well as many
other scientists, has studied the ant,
and these men all tell us wonderful
and interesting stories about its habits
and life. A certain Frenchman claims
he has discovered that ants have a
language of their own, and convey
their meaning to each other by sounds.
This he proved to himself by shutting
up number of them in glass box
a watch, when the various sounds
could be distinctly heard.
An English scientist who has made
a profound study Of these little crea-
lures says: "In their modes of fight
ing different species of ants have their
several peculiarities Some also are
much less military than others. They
have the power of distinguishing color
and are highly sensitive to violet light.
When we watch an ant hill tenanted
by thousands of Industrious inhabi-
tants, excavating chambers, forming
tunnels, making roads, guarding their
homes, gathering food, feeding the
young, tending their domestic ami
mails, and even farming-each one full
filing its duty industriously and with
out confusion-it is difficult altogether
to deny them the gift of reason"
Another close observer of the little
creatures says that he once saw drove
of small black ants moving perhaps
to more commodious quarters. The
distance was over 700 feet, and nearly
every ant was laden with a portion
of household goods. Some carried
their eggs, the cocoon stage of the
ant, and some had food. 81 sat and
watched them for over an hour" he
says, land l noticed that erery time
two met on the way they would hold
their heads close together, as if greet
ing one another, and no matter how
often the meeting took place this same
thing occurred, as though short chat
was necessary. To prove more about
it, killed one that was on his way.
Others which were eye witnesses to
the murder went with speed and with
every ant they met this talking took
place as before. But instead of a
pleasant greeting it was sad news they
had to communicate. l knew 1t was
sad news, for every ant that these
messengers met hastily turned back
and fled in another course So the
news spread, and it was true How
was it communicated If not by
speech?"
Young naturalists cannot take up
anything more fascinating than the
study of ant habits; but murder, even
Df an ant, is not necessary in such
studies, save to preserve a few speci-
mems to assure one of the species un-
der study. An ingenious and true lover
of nature delights to devise ways for
such study that do not require needless
cruelty
Tanning an ant would seem to be
an almost impossible feat, but it has
been accomplished by the Jesuit Fa-
ther Wasmann, who keeps many diff
ferent tribes of ants in artificial nests.
He gradually trained one of the ants
to come after it's food, until finally it
would take the honey directly from the
tip of his finger, after which it al
lowed itself to be lifted on bristle
and carried back to the nest.-New
York Tribune.