Jan. 1, 1SGS.] 



few cases, I noticed there would be two to one 

 engaged, in all of which cases the struggle was 

 soon ended. Their mode of warfare is decapitation, 

 and in all cases where there were two to oue en- 

 gaged, the work of cutting off the head was soon 

 accomplished. There were already a number of 

 heads and headless ants lying around, and there 

 was a great number of single pairs of the insatiate 

 warriors grappling each other by the throat on the 

 battle-field, some of whom seemed to be already 

 dead, still clinging together by their throats. Among 

 the single pairs in the deadly strife there were no 

 cases of decapitation. They mutually grapple each 

 other by the throat, and there cling until death ends 

 the conflict, but does not separate them. I do not 

 think that in single combat they possess the power 

 to dissever the head ; but they can grip the neck so 

 firmly as to stop circulation, and hold on until death 

 ensues, without their unlocking the jaws even then. 



The cause of this war was attributable to the 

 settlement of a young queen in close proximity (not 

 more than 20 feet) of a very populous community 

 that had occupied that scope of territory for ten or 

 twelve years. At first, and so long as they operated 

 under concealment, the old community did not 

 molest them; but when they threw off their mask, 

 and commenced paving their city, the older oc- 

 cupants of that district of territory declared war 

 against them and waged it to extermination. The 

 war was declared by the old settlers, and the object 

 was to drive out the new ones or exterminate them. 

 But the warriors of this species of ant are not to be 

 driven. Where they select a location for a home, 

 nothing but annihilation can get them away. So, in 

 the present case, the war continued two days and 

 nights, and resulted in the total extermination of 

 the intruding colony. From the vastly superior 

 numbers of the older settlers, though many of them 

 were slain during the war, they nevertheless suc- 

 ceeded in destroying the entire colony, without any 

 apparent disturbance or unusual excitement about 

 the great city. Their national works and govern- 

 mental affairs went on in their ordinary course, 

 while the work of death was being accomplished by 

 their resolute bands of triumphant warriors. 



They do not interrupt, in any way that I have 

 discovered, the small black erratic ant, when it 

 comes on their pavement. They even permit the 

 erratic ants to erect cities on any portion of the 

 incorporated limits, and do not molest them. It 

 may be that the little fellows serve them some 

 purpose. But when they build too many of their 

 confederate cities on the pavement of the agri- 

 cultural ant, it seems to be an inconvenience to 

 them some way ; but they do not go to war with 

 them, nor attempt to rid themselves of the incon- 

 venience by any forcible means. They, however, do 

 get clear of them, and that by instituting a regular 

 system of deceptive and vexatious obstructions. 



HAEDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



The deception is manifested in the fact that it 

 appears to have suddenly become necessary to raise 

 the mound two or three inches higher, and also to 

 widen the base considerably. Forthwith are seen 

 swarming out upon the pavement hosts of ants, who 

 go rapidly to work, and bringing the little black 

 balls which are thrown up by the earthworms in 

 great quantities everywhere in the prairie soil, they 

 heap them up, first at the base of the mound, 

 widening till all the near erratic ant cities are 

 covered up. At the same time, they raise the 

 entire pavement an inch or so, and in prosecuting 

 this part of the national work, deposit abundantly 

 more balls upon and around the erratic ant cities 

 than anywhere else. The little ants bore upwards 

 through the hard sun-dried balls, which are con- 

 stantly accumulating — getting worse every hour — 

 until the obstruction has become so great that they 

 can no longer keep their cities open ; and finding 

 that there is no remedy for the growing difficulty, 

 they peaceably evacuate the premises. There is 

 found on almost every pavement, at this season of 

 the year, three or four small pyramidal mounds 

 that have been constructed for the purpose of 

 crowding out the little erratic ants. 



The extensive, clean, smooth roads that are con- 

 structed by the agricultural ants are worthy of 

 being noticed. At this season of the year their 

 roads are plainest and in the best order, because it 

 is harvest time, and their whole force is out collecting 

 grain for winter supplies. 



I am just this moment in from a survey of one of 

 these roads, that I might be able to make an exact 

 and correct statement of it. It is over 100 yards 

 in length, goes through 20 yards of thick weeds, 

 underruus heavy beds of crop grass 60 yards, and 

 then through the weeds growing in the locks of 

 a heavy rail fence 20 yards more ; and throughout 

 the whole extent it is very smooth and even, 

 varying from a straight line enough, perhaps, to 

 lose 10 or 12 yards of the distance in travelling to 

 the outer terminus. It is from 2 to 2s inches wide ; 

 in some places, on account of insurmountable ob- 

 structions, it separates into two or three trails of an 

 inch in width, coming together again after passing 

 the obstruction. This is the main trunk, and it 

 does not branch until it crosses the before-named 

 fence, beyond which is a heavy bed of grain bearing- 

 weeds and grass. Their prospecting corps travel 

 far out, and when they discover rich districts of 

 their proper food they report it, and a corps of 

 foragers is immediately dispatched to collect and 

 bring it in. 



In whatever light we consider the matter in 

 whatever way we turn it over, the conclusion is 

 forced upon us that useful knowledge becomes 

 useful only when the mind knows how to use it 

 aright.— Quarterly Review, Oct. 1S67. 



