The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1904-07-02
QUEER NATURAL HISTORY.
The Noses Of Ants and Their Various
Oflces--snakes Of India
Guard Gardens.

Each ant species appears TO have its
distinctive odor, discernIble 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 It's inmates are
produced The ants organs OF smell are
it's antennae, and the antennae consist,
as it were, Of series Of noses. each Of
which has a special task. says natur-
alists paper. One nose tells the ant
whether 1t ia In it's 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
II an ant be left with only the four noses
It will 1--WE peaceably with alien ants;
but while it has its fifth nose II will fight
the alien TO the death, If ants make
one anothers acquaintance before they
are y hours old they will thereafter live
amicabIy 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
A writer In India says. "The snakes
that are most worthy Of dread as in
mates Of Indian gardens are the terrible
daboias. yiperia russelli' They are
truly superb reptiles. for. while the col
orine of their armor is relatively quiet,
II would be hard TO ind any finer har-
mony than that presented BY IT'S tints Of
ocherous brown. on which a 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 like
a released spring armed with terrible
teeth. There is none of the warning
ard 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 sickening fashion whilst they strive
to inject as much as possible Of their te-
nacious yellow venom"
In India. says the same writer, II is
held that the proper way 70 treat iIxtivss'
who do their best 70 die Of pure 'Der-
vous depression" after imaginary snake
bites is TO put drop Of croton oil into
the patients eye. which gives him
somathiag real TO think about He tells
the story Of an Indian coolae who, while
walking across courtyard after dark.
trod on one end Of piece Of iron hoop.
with the result Of bringing the other and
jagged extremity sharply up and into
contact with the back Of his leg Not
unnaturRily. the man took for granted
that he had been bitten by snake. and
probably by a venomous one. He ac-
cordingly made up his mind 10 die, and
would rapi1iy have succeeded in doing
81 had not an experienced person been
mandy with bottle of croton oil.