El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-27

?" HERE Is only one animal, other
than man, that knows and prac-
tees the art Of war. 1t is the
ant.
Everybody is familiar with ants; but
It is in tropical countries that they
-eally flourish In those ATTITUDES one
often comes across a group Of mounds
OF considerable size, each Of them rep
resenting an ant kingdom, while all OF
hem together constitute an empire
With a total population Of hundreds or
even thousands OF millions.
The Kingdoms Of which the empire
is composed enjoy perfect harmony
among themselves-1ust as Bavaria,
oaXony, and a score Of other independ-
ent German states make up a friendly
federation. But often, acting unitedly,
they engage in fierce warfare with
neighbOring yet alien empires Of ants.
MnitHrism Highly Developed.
Most remarkable of all warlike ants
however. are the "Ecitons," which have
developed militarism to such an extent
that fighting may be said to be their
only important occupation. They are
perpetually on the march, having No
place of permanent abode, and are
accustomed to subsist upon the re
sources of the territory through when
they pass
For tactical purposes, these ants
adopt by preference the mass forma-
ton, advancing through the tropical
forests in solid phalanXes that cover
perhaps half a dozen square yards On
the flanks Of each phalanX march lndl-
Viduals entirely different from their
comrades, inasmuch as they have enor-
nous heads and pawerful jaws, being
obviously built for fighting and NOM
ing else.
The common soldier ants have other
work to do, such as foraging, but these
big headed fellows, who look as IL
they wore white helmets greatly too
large for them, never cOndescend 10
labor. Marching as they do at regu-
lar intervals, and numbering 90 LOT
every 1000 in the ranks, they have the
appearance Of corresponding to com
missioned officers in a human army
Regular Man Eaters.
When the "Ecitons' are on the
march, news of their coming causes
widespread commotion. No living crea-
ture can Withstand them. Even man
is obliged to run away from them as
fast as he can. If he did not, they
would bite and sting him to death; Ior
these ants, though of no great - ST.,
are business" at both ends 1leg
have strong nipping Jaws, ana lneIt
tails are armed with a weapon JhaI
discharges a powerful poison .,
No wonder. then, that the most teroc-
ious wild beasts of the forest seek
safety i'm flight when the ant armies
approach For them there is no means
o. defence against such foes me
puma is active enough 10 pc dDle ~
escape The sluggish boa constructor
overtaken amid the herpa5 i;I+o % (.
stream bank. e. soon reduced HleIalLS
to a skeleton, its flesh being carIleu
away. bit by bit
As the army proceeds on its march,
foragfng parties are sent out IleHs
and left. examining every square 1901
~ Ground for possible booty. A rot
ten log full of grubs is a NaluaoLs
rriZa to be thoroughly eXcaYaIed 1or /
prey before being abandoned Up even
10 the tops Of the tallest trees go the
foragers. looking for caterpill2rs' co
coons. wasps nests or birds nests lIa'
NAV possibly contain Hedging young /
Adopt Military Procedure.
The really exciting times arrive,
however when the army comes acIos /
am ant Fortress mound perhaps slA 1
or eight feet high, with a fighting pop 1
ulation of its own numbering many
millions. Before this great city the I
'Ecitons' sit down, and proceed 10 /
law formal and definite siege.
The performance begins with sapplhs I
operations, some Of tie soldlers as
ging, while others carry away Iuo
earth excavated. When by this means /
a breach has been effected IN the WaiiS' I
assault after assault is made upon luS
stronghold The fighting may con-
time for many days, all the ground 4
in the neighborhOod being streWn win ]
the headless bodies, the heads (Which 4
have been bitten off and the dismem- /
bered limbs of the combatants
But, no matter how formidable the 1
adversary. the assailants, being pro
fessfonaI fighters are bound to win !
in the end. Sooner or later the fort 1
ress is unable longer to Withstand the /
and determined attacks. I
The invaders rush in, kill all the de (
tenders that remain alive, and ransack !
the galleries above and under ground !
for booty which consists mainly OF 4
the larvae and pupae of the conquered
These are torn to pieces and are car
ried out and away.
Plant Maintains Army.
In tropical America there is a species
of acacia, known as the "bulls-horn
thorn" which is protected by regiments
Of ants. With the latter it seems to
have perfected an arrangement under
which it provides the ants with shell
ter and food, while deriving from them
a certain guardianship. No herbivore
ventures to browse on the brush, nor !
does any defoiating insect attack 1t
the ants which are its tenants being
fierce singers and excellent biters.
Tricky distributed over the bush are