The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1904-06-29
QUEER NATURAL HISTORY.
The Noses Of Ants and Their Various
ofices-snakes Of India
Guard Gardens.

Each ant species appears to have Its
distinctive odor, discernihle by other
ants Within each species there are also
differences of odor dependent On the
age OF the colony and the age Of the
queen from whose eggs its inmates are
produced The ants organs Of smell arc
its antennae, and the antennae consist,
as 1t were, of series OF noses, each OF
which has special task, says natur-
alist's paper One nose tells the ant
whether 1t is in its own nest or that OF
an enemy Another nose discriminates
between odors of ants of the same
species, but OF different colonies. The
third serves the purpose OF discerning
the scent laid down by the ants own
feet, so that 1t may retrace its steps
along its path Another nose smells the
ant larvae and pupae. and the fifth nose
detects the presence Of an enemy Thus
* an ant be left with only the four noses
II will live peaceably with alien ants;
but while It has its fifth nose 1t will fight
the alien to the death If ants make
one anothers acquaintance before they
are ~ hours old they will thereafter live
amicably together though Of different
species or subfamilies But in three
days after Matching their criterion Of
correct ant odor is established, and they
refuse to affiliate with ants whose odor
Is not in accord with their standard.
writer in India says: The snakes
that are most worthy Of dread as in
mates Of Indian gardens are the terrible
daboias, 'Viperia russelli' They are
truly superb reptiles, for, while the col
oping Of their armor IL relatively quiet
II would be hard 10 find any finer har-
mony than that presented by its tints Of
ocherous brown, on which series OF
shining black rings with lighter mar
gins are disposed in triple rows from the
neck to within a short distance from
the end Of the tail. Daboias are sluggish
and inert, and often lie coiled up and
motionless on footpaths until they are
actually touched or trodden on by pass
ers-by. when they suddenly unfold Ike
a released spring armed with terrible
teeth There is none of the warning
and preparation here that there IS where
a cobra IS about to strike; no sitting up
and threatening. but an instantaneous
and deadly assault When they have
laid hold too they hang on and worry
IN d sicFeniug fashion whilst they strive
TO inject A. much as possible Of their te-
nacious yellow venom"
In India. says the same writer, II IS
held that the proper way to treat natives
who do their best 20 die Of pure "rer-
sous depression" after imagin1ry snake
bites Is 10 put 8 drop Of croton ell into
the patients eye. which gives him
something rsal to thiah about He tells
the story Of an IuGisn coolie who. willie
walking across a courtyard after fsrE,
trod on one end OF piece OF iron hoop.
with TIRE result Of bringing the othersnd
tagged extremity sharply % and into
contact With the back Of his les Not
unnaturelly, the man took for granted
that be had been bitten by snake, and
probably By d venrmous one. He ac-
cordingly made up hts mind 10 die, and
would rapidly have succeeded IN doing
SO had not an experienced person been
handy with a bottle Of croton oil.