The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-02
A FIGHT TO THE FINISH.
BiE Red Ant or the Philippines Overcomes
Difficulties and Earns His Dinner.

BIG Red Ant OF the Philippines OVeFcOmea
Difficulties and Earns His Dinner.
MANILA, Feb % was confined TO my
bed with dengue fever. Through my
MOSQUITO bar watched the red ants ex-
plore the crazy old Spanish floor With its
gaping seams which the heat Of the dry
season in the Philippines had opened up.
Every morning an army Of the little
scavengers came briskly out from their
nest Of clay built up somewhere behind the
partition and deployed over the floor in
search Of anything dead or alive that
might serve them as food.
At first as / watched them they seemed
TO work at random.
Then one afternoon when the sunlight
was exceptionally bright | noticed an ant
considerably larger and longer limited
than his fellows moving leisurely across
the floor and pausing frequently to look
about him. During one Of these pauses
two ants hurried up to him from opposite
directions.
The three seemed ohold consultation.
and presently the two retired as II TO carry
out the orders Of their commander.
For fully half hour the big ant continued
90 movo leisurely about, inspecting hers
a body Of ants as they toled at bit OF
chicken that had fallen from my plate,
there a couple that were devising some
scheme to get kernel Of rice across a crack
that stretched like a great canon between
them and their fortress behind the parti-
ton, and in still another quarter a THO
Juggling at a green bug that was not yet
dead and that chung tenaciously to bamboo
splinter.
In every instance the little fellows re-
doubled their efforts at the approach Of
| their commander, but in the case Of the
green bug with no satisfactory results.
For fully a minute the big ant watched
the efforts Of his fellows, and then as II in
/ disgust at their puniness, dashed upon the
prey, scattering the three toiers In as
| many directions, and selling the bug by
| a wing quickly jerked It from its position
/ and started Of across the floor at great
rate Of speed.
Presently the big ant with his now feeby
struggling captive, reached the widest
! crack in the floor; to the other ants yawn-
! ing gulf, to cross which they were obliged
to mike a detour Of half the length Of the
room But the captain had no idea OF
squanderinG his time in this way.
! Approaching the brink he suddenly
swung himself round will a whirling motion
that threw his hind legs high in air, and
"a they descended they just touched the
| further side and his feet took q firm hold:
As the bug dropped out OF sight It looked
for a moment as il the ant would be drawn
after it, but the hind feet held fast, and
presently the captain emerged triumphant
! with his booty, starting on in bee line for
the clay house behind the partition.
All went well till he came to within two
| feet Of pool Of water that the servant had
spilled upon the floor when filling the empty
tomato cans under the legs OF the dresser
a necessary precaution to keep the ants
- lii. Inc, ~, NaEt in
7 The captain scented the water from atar,
rose mp and inspected ii till he was satisfied
that II was impossible. and then began
wide detour to the right.
This movement took him beyond the
range Of my vision, and a moment later /
was surprised to see him beating hasty
[ retreat, tuRging franti caly at the bug,
/ much as defeated soldiers tug at field
pieoe to prevent it from falling into the
! Suddenly the ant stopped and. spranE
round defantly in front Of the bug and the
next moment / saw a gray spider 1.-THE va
/ riety which usually travels with huge
| hounds like leal approaching wariy. IL
/ shot forward a few inches, paused, shot
| forward gain. and then seemed to debate
the advsabilty Of attempting 10 capture
| the bug from his fellow marauder.
The debate lasted only a moment. Tho
! ants courage evidently failed him at the
near approach Of his big antagonist and
I in a sudden panic Of fear he reiterated be-
. hind the bug.
Like fash the spider leaped upon the
choice morsel and hurrying away with IL
. TO one Of the tomato cans under leg OF the
dresser mounted 10 the edge and began
leisurely TO devour his prize.
For a time the ant seemed frantic with
grief and rage. He dashed aimlessly about
looking for the bug, as II he could not be-
leve that he had really been robbed.
As the fruitlCss search continued nc
Z seemed to become more and more excited.
chasing about in big, zigZag loops as II
demented. Then of a sudden he paused
on the very spot where he had been robbed.
I and after what seemed 20 be a moments
reflection started OF on the trail Of the
robber.
The spider recognized its enemy from
afar and dropping the partly dey CURED
/ bug into the alter, ran around TO the father
J edge Of the tin.
The ant seemed quite to have regsined
! his self-possession now, and reaching the
can climbed deliberately up, and raising
/ his head cautiously over the edge located
/ the object Of his visit Quick as thought
| the spider was upon him, and for moment
/ there was a confused blur Of shifting gray
| and rel, as the two fought desperately
on the Jagged edge Of the can.
! Suddenly there was tiny splash, and
! n moment later / saw the two struggling
| in the water The spider made spasmodio
efforts 70 climb up the smooth side OF the
| can, but the ant, far more active in the
| water, always dragged II back. In few
moments The spider doubled up oonvul-
sively and lay, a still gray ball, upon the
! surface Of the water.
The ant with the logged persistency Of
his race, flshed out Of the water what re-
| manned Of the green bug, dropped II over
the side Of the can, and descending leisurely,
| carried il away TO his clay house behind
the partition.