The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1922-03-14
ANTS ON MARCH
Seeming Proof That Instinct Is
Not Infallible.
Small Creatures Dragged Themselves
to Death Because No One Of Them
Had Any Initiative.

At six o'clock in the morning l was
starting for swim ia u British
Guiana jungle when. at the foot OF the
laboratory steps l SAW Il swiftly NOV
Ing, broad line vi army ants OH Sulari,
passing through the compound To the
beach. l traced them back under the
servants quarters, through two cluups
vi bambooS, 10 All outhuuSe.
Later, l followed along the column
down To the river sand, through
4 dense mass of underbruSh, through
hollow log, up tile bank, back
through light jungle-to the Clubhouse
again; and OH large fallen log, IL few
feet beyond the spot where their nest
had been, the ends uf the circle actu-
ally came together. 1t VAS the most
astonishing thing, and l had to verify
1t again and again before | could be-
liere the evidence "f my eyes.
1t was u strong column, six lines
wide In many places, and the ants
fully believed that they were OH their
way To Il new home; for most were
carrying eggs Or larvae. although many
had food. For an hour, at noon. during
heavy rain, the column weakened and
almost disappeared; hut when the sun
returned. the lines rejoined. and the
revolution of the vicious circle con-
tinued.
Careful measurement of the great
circle showed u circumference of loo
feet. We timed the laden ants and
found that they averaged two to two
and three-quarters inches a second. So
n Uivnt, wi M
round in about two hours and a half
All the afternoon the insane circle
revolvd; at midnight, the hosts were
still moving; the second morning many
had weakened and dropped their bur
dens and the general pace had very
alfreciahly slackeucd. But still the
blind grip OF instinct held them. On.
on, on, they must go! Always before
in their nomadic life there had been
q goal-a sanctuary OF hollow tree
snug heart Of bamhsoS; surely this
terrible grind must end somehow.
Through sun and cloud. day and
night, hour after hour, there was
found no ant with individual initiative
enough to turn aside an ants breadth
from the circle that he had traversed
perhaps Is times.
Fewer and fewer now came along
the well-worn path burdens Uttered
the line of march. like the arms and
accnutrements thrown down 10y re-
treating army. At last, a scanty single
line struggled past-tired, hopeless, be
wildered, idiotic and thoughtless to the
last.
Then some half-dea ant struggled
from the circle along the beach and
threw the line behind him into con-
fusion. The desperation of total ex-
haustion had accomplished what ne
ressity and opportunity ami normal
life could not. Several others fol-
lowed his scent instead OF that lead
ing back toward the clubhouse; and
as an amoeba gradually flows into one
of its own pseudopodia, 50 the forlorn
hope of the great Eciton army passed
slowly down the beach and on into the
jungle.
Would they die singly and In he
wildered groups, or would the rem
nant draw together, and, again guild
ed by the Supermind of Its mentor. lay
the foundation of another army. and
again come to nest in my outhouse?-
William Beebe in the Atlantic Monthly.