ANT COMMUNITIES 



where the food supply of the commune had become in- 

 sufficient. They thus at once showed that their guards 

 were not their masters, and that workers held the first 

 rank in their social order, though of course they in- 

 cidentally demonstrated their lack of anything like "the 

 quality of mercy' 1 in their relations to their associates. 

 In short, we may conclude, with reasonable assurance, 

 that the government of ant communes is not a military 

 despotism, and that soldiers, when specially differenti- 

 ated, are simply a co-ordinate and subordinate part 

 of the social organization. 



The weapons (Fig. 83) with which ants carry on their 

 wars are placed at the extremities of the body. A pair 



Fig. 83 MANDIBLES WHICH ARE USED AS WEAPONS BY WORKERS 



OF AGRICULTURAL ANTS 



of movable jaws, or mandibles, are attached by strong 

 muscles to the face. They are palmate, toothed along 

 the receding edges, terminating on the inside margin in 

 a large pointed tooth or tusk. These two opposed in- 

 struments, working against each other, form the compo- 

 site tool and war-weapon of ants. With these they dig 

 their galleries in the earth, or carve them out of wood, 

 cut down grass, defoliate trees, seize and cut up food of 

 all sorts. Being palm-shaped as a rule, the gathered 

 and comminuted material can be compressed into their 

 hollows, and so carried as conveniently as in a basket or 

 barrow. As the muscles permit the application of much 



or little force at the insect's will, the mandibles can be 



206 



