1881.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 63 



XII. Destruction of the Ants by Mites. 



The untimely end of my artificial colonies is worthy of a passing 

 note. The ants were brought from Colorado in large jars, domi- 

 ciled in their native soil. Every precaution which circumstances 

 would allow was taken to preserve their health, but after a con- 

 finement of over seven months, during which mau}^ of the obser- 

 vations noted above were made, they became infested with mites. 

 These parasites, or their germs, were probably brought from 

 Colorado with the insects, although I did not observe them until 

 late in their imprisoment. However, I have seen the same or 

 similar parasites upon other ants while in their home-nest, and 

 more than once have suffered the loss of colonized formicaries 

 from their inroads. 



In the case of the hone^- ants I was powerless to give relief of 

 any kind, and witnessed with real grief the helpless little sufferei's 

 in their struggles to free themselves from their destroyers. I have 

 figured the head of an ant thus infested, at PI. VII, fig. 39, where 

 the mites ma}" be seen clinging to the cheek, mandibles and 

 antennae. I have spared the feelings of my readers so far as to 

 figure but a few of the pests. In point of fact they literally 

 covered the moiith parts, where they were chiefly congregated, 

 although the}' were attached to other parts of the bod}-. The 

 poor " host," although so admirably provided with implements 

 for cleansing her person — such as the mandibles, mouth and tarsal 

 comb— found all efforts to rid herself of her " guests " futil^. 

 Even that friendly aid in toilet service which one emmet is wont 

 to extend to another, was vain. Graduall}^ the poor victim 

 yielded life to the parasitic swarm that sucked at her vital juices. 

 The charnel-house — the little cemetery centre at one side of the 

 formicar}' — gained many inmates daily ; the galleries and cham- 

 bers thinned of their busy populace and grew lonely ; at last, as 

 in some plague-stricken human commonwealth, the dead were 

 suffered to lie where they fell, for the living were themselves 

 sealed to death, and unable to give their comrades sepulture. So 

 my nests faded away, until, unwilling longer to witness their suf- 

 ferings, I gave them all a painless death. 



My studies were seriously interfered with by this calamit}-, as 

 many of my well-nigh ripened experiments thus came to nought. 

 But one cannot complain, for Nature and Destiny pursue ants 



