Clifton College Sclentijic Society. 39 



And now for some interesting facts with rep^ard to ants. First, 

 regard them in their nest, and see how wonderfully they are related 

 to each other. If, for instance, you excite^the surface of a nest, the 

 alarm will spread almost instantaneously throughout the whole com- 

 munity. Another interesting experiment, performed by M. Huber, 

 is to place the legs of an artificial ant's nest in water. The little 

 creatures will crawl down and lap the water. If, however, they are 

 interrupted whilst in the midst of the enjoyment, the following 

 scene may be noticed : most of the ants, in fright, return to the 

 nest, but some, more thirsty than the rest, will continue lapping. If 

 so, one of those who retreated will return to inform them of their 

 danger ; one he will push with his jaw, another he will strike on the 

 breast ; , but if one does not heed these kind warnings, his adviser 

 leaves off his tenderness, and seizing him by the leg, drags him away 

 from the water. The loiterer, however, turns round in auger, with 

 threatening jaws, and then coolly proceeds to drink again. The other 

 ant, not to be daunted, rushes upon him, seizes him by the jaws, and 

 carries him off to the nest. It has been thought by some that 

 ants are enabled to regain their nests by following the route they 

 took from their nest, by means of the sense of smell ; but though 

 this may assist them somewhat in returning to their nest, it is not 

 by any means the only one they have. If an ant's nest is scattered 

 in a room, the insects will diverge in all directions, and if one of 

 them discover a place where they can secret themselves, it will return 

 to its companions, and, by means of its antennae, infoira them of it. 

 These in their turn act as guides to others who may be wandering 

 about. Dr. Franklin discovered some ants regaling themselves with 

 some treacle, he immediately put them to flight, and suspended the pot 

 of treacle by a string. One ant had however been left, and this one 

 climbing the string, crossed the ceiling, regained its nest, and con- 

 ducted its companions to the treacle again. When ants are obliged 

 to found a new nest owing to the destruction of the old one, the 

 workers act as porters, and carry over the inhabitants to the new 

 colony. The worker will approach the ant it wishes to convey, and 

 caresses it with its antennae, when the other is disposed to set off, he 

 rolls up, is seized by the mandibles of the worker, and marched off in 

 the most amicable manner. 



Now let us see some of the wars that ants engage in. Those which 

 are found in Europe will attack insects as large as the caterpillar and 

 beetle, but those of southern countries will even destroy rats. They 

 make their attack openly, their weapons being their mandibles and a 

 sting which contains venom. If their adversary is at a little distance 

 they raise themselves on their legs, and spurt the poison from their 

 abdomen. The enemies which are most dreaded are ants themselves, 

 A number of small ants will fix on a large one. and nothing will induce 

 them to let go. If a large ant attacks a small, she does it by suprise, 

 so as to prevent the small one seizing hold of her legs. They seize 

 hold of the smaller ones by the upper part of the body, and strangle 



