New-York tribune., 1907-09-23
ANTS INVADE MUSEUM.
REuAIN UNHOLESg'ED.
Conquering Horde of $500 Merely
.Specinems from Europe

A valuable collection OF ants. about tii' Nv. -nNo
hundred specimens. representing aDout io -
hundred species has just seen preseii'eI ~ =.
American Museum Of Natural History me sIl'
WIS announced yesterday by Dr- iieil HUI - |
pus, the director of the museum
The collection was given 10 the museum "s !"
leading European authority on anus
- z7o-al % Switzerland Who is also a lead
;rq authority or nervous diseases and one OF lhe
ri-o,na1 advocates of total abstinence in Europe.
-T7,.se ants constitute n valuable addition to the
collection in the museum made by Ipr- NlillaIh
Morton Wheeler. curator Of the department OF IN
vertebrate zoology in the last six or seven years
which Is the largest in America and one Of the
largest three It contains one-half OF
tfe described species and about one hundred thou
sand specimens.
Regarding the value of this. gift TO the museum
and curious and almost human characteristics
Of some Of these ants DIR. Wheeler said yesterday
ANTS are not attractive as a collection or sIeci-
mems but they are exceedingly interesting from
two points of view: Because they have social
organization superior n that of any other animals
and respects more advanced than that OF
man. and because through their social life they
have developed the most extraordinary instincts
and certain activities which resemble intelligence
Their social instincts are extraordinary because
the individuals IN these communities cnlinenty
altruistic All their activities for the good OF
the other members Of the community Their or
ganzation IS essentially sociaiistc in that all food
IS distributed 10 ether members and individuals
tain crly enough 10 keep themselves alive and In
the best working condition There is private
property although the whole colony will defend its
nest hut simply because & Is the home Of the
whole community
These communities are remarkable because they
are societies females, the males being present
only al certain times Of the year and taking no
active life in the colony. The females which con-
stsrute the colony Of two kinds: The fertile
females or queens which lay the eggs and the
sterile females WORKERS. which are sterile only
through their aItrustic instincts. The latter de
vo-e all Of their energy nursing the young and
caring for the few fertile queens in the nest and
have no energy OF substance left TO produce eggs
Of their own, although under certain conditions
they may lay eggs.
These sterile forms workers. may he repre-
eented by several different csstes which have DIFF
ferent functions in the life Of the colony, but al
WAYS for the good Of the whole community
1T is hoped that ultimately the museum Will be
able to present to the public collections illustrating
the habits OF TIE various species similar 10 those
which are now used to illustrate the habits of the
higher animals birds and mammals. Thus, il
would be possible 70 illustrate the architecture of
the var4ots species Of ants which varies according
TO tie locality fn which they make their nests II
would also be possible represent the habits Of
certain interesting ants like the harvesting ants.
the fungus growing ants. the honey ants. etc.
Professor ForeIs collection contains about eight
hundred types which Invaluable, because from
them -he original descriptions drawn He be
gan the study Of ants at the age Of seven. He is
now sixty. Aut study has been pastirne with
him his main work being director of the insane
asylum at Zurich, Switzerland He is exceed
tr1glv Interesting man. OF brilliant personality
visited him and his charming family last summer
at his home near Lake Genan. He assisted me in
finding the localities of the European ants. and
enabled me alive most of the European
species"