The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-25
BY ALBERTA FIELD.

Mature like so many mothers, has
shown weakness for her smallest off
spring. "-AIichelet.
much-quOted ancient once said that
If the shiftless members of humanity
would occasionally retire to the prfva-
cy of an ant hill, and carefully cen
template the six-legged inhabitants
thereof, they would learn something 10
their advantage.
The modern myrmecologist (which.
by the way, means a fellow way UP in
anthology, goes the Aforementioned
ancient one better. and commends me
small and active ants to the notice f
all persons who pride themselves Upon
their habits of personal cleanliness and
fastidiousness in toilet matters. Those
who ought to know, smile at the su-
preme assumption of the ordinary NOR
tai who insists that mankind has
reached the highest standard in the
matter of cleanliness and personal
adornment Right here il may be we'll
TO state that any ordinary ant can
show the daintiest lady in the land
one or two thiT IS in the matter OF
make up and convenient toilet I'D
puTtenaDCes that are not to be Gneezed
at Nature has provided the lady ant
land, by the way, all ants Of any con-
sequence are ladies', with various
home grown" combs and brushes. by
the aid Of which she can make d TsOst
complete and careful toilet a perform
ance which seems to afford her unlim-
tied pleasure. Some sneeTing iCOnOcl8S-
might suggest that this is evidence
that cleanliness with mankind is ar ar-
CURED habit, and not matter Of in
stinctive neatness as with the ant. But
Ea +r-rzn 80 ~ r4
in the theory of evolution. ii is possible
that I'm time. like the pTOvident ant. we
too may grow brushes on our fingers
and combs on our thumbs.
Ants, If not entirely blind, are very
Hear-sighted. so il cannot be vanity
which causes them to be so particular
about their personal appearance. Only
the winged males and young queens ere
provided with good. and sufficient eyes
through which to see and admire each
other. After the marriage fight. how
ever, the queen unhOOks her wings
which are at once carried away by her
seTvitors, she, in her underground
apartments, having no further use for
these airy chiffons. If she desired to.
she would not be permitted to go forth
10 make another marriage, and so, will
ingly or unwillingly, is faithful to her
first love. As for the winged male, hav-
ing woOed and won his ant bride, he
is not invited TO return with her to the
Amazonian household, and so wanders
about aimlessly until he is gObbled I'D
by some insect-loving bird or dies Of
starvation. During his youthful days
he is petted and cared for by his maid
en- auntS who turn a cold shoulder on
him after his wedding journey. and
being unable to even so much as gather
up food, he falls by the roadside to die.
An ant city is largely composed of fe-
as1Tn mo- = e.
so we'll provided with toilet appurten-
ances. The singular brushes and
combs are on the third joint of the fore
legs and are principally used for
the purpose Of keeping in order their
delicate antennae. Tt is small wonder
that the ants set such store by these
important members. for through them
are conveyed the ant brain, all Of the
various emotions of ant existence.
These haiT-like protuberauces are thir-
teen-jointed. and, according to Miss
Adele F'ielde Of New York (who knows
as much as any and more than most.
about ants, every joint is separate
nose She it is who has discovered the
use of the last four noses. each of
which is fitted to detect its own special
OdoT. The first point smells out the
would be unable 70 tell whether she
was at home or down town. The sec
ond- nose detects relatives at the first
sniff, and makes no mistakes. The
third Joint smells out the home trail
and without this nose an ant would be
liable to wander aimlessiy into un-
known space. The fourth and fifth
noses detect eggs and baby ants which
look much like young grubs. The rest
of the nose functions Miss FieIde has
not. as yet. discovered. but very likely
there is nose for war and q nose for
peace; a supper nose and q slave nose.
and without doubt a nose for aphids
who so literally supply all antdom with
sweets
1t is no wonder that special tools
have been provided TO keep in order
such wonderful and valuable members
But beside these, ants are so fond Of
washing themselves as the family cat,
and sit up like squirrels and scrub
their faces with spit like the opera
ton performed by an anxious mother
on the unwilling small boy who has
unexpectedly to appear before callers.
Having no artistic or musical sense