144 RELATION BETWEEN ANTS. 
what the true secret of this harmony con- 
sists ; and it is, doubtless, only by examin- 
ing their conduct under this point of 
view, and with much greater attention, 
that we can hope to acquire any know- 
ledge of the manner in which these dimi- 
nutive republics are constituted. For 
this end, we shall first study, daily, the re- 
lations of ants one with the other; rela- 
tions under which we have not yet con- 
sidered them, and which will merit a few 
moments’ consideration. Let us take, 
for this purpose, the most simple and 
ordinary traits in the life of these insects. 
The guard or sentry of the ant-hill will 
furnish us with the first proof of their so- 
cial relations. 
We could, without doubt, irritate ants 
on the surface of the nest, without alarm- 
ing those in the interior, if they acted 
isolately, and had no means of communi- 
cating their mutual impressions. Those 
who are occupied at the bottom of their 
nest, removed from the scene of danger, 
ignorant of what menaces their compa 
