NATURE'S CRAFTSMEN 



for the reign of "peace on earth" can hardly rise from 

 the sovereignty of "the natural." 



What is the refiex of this habit upon the slave-making 

 ants and their subjects? Ought we to expect that so- 

 cial laws and customs which influence so powerfully the 

 human species should work analogous results upon ants ? 

 Let us see. In the case of Polyergus there appears a 

 dependence upon the slaves which is almost absolute. 

 The Shining Slave-makers on the raid, in assault, in 

 combat, and in the capture and rapture of the young 

 of subject species show immense animation and per- 

 sistence. But they take no part in the domestic econ- 

 omy of the formicary. The construction of galleries 

 and chambers, the nurture of their own young from egg 

 to antling, and the care of their young captives, the 

 garnering of supplies, and the support of their queens, 

 winged males and females, are wrought by the slaves 

 alone. The deterioration has gone so far that the 

 Polyergus warriors will not feed themselves, but depend 

 upon their servants for both food and feeding! It 

 seems astounding and incredible that any creature 

 should be reduced to such an abnormal state; but 

 experiments show that when these warriors are placed 

 in artificial nests without their usual attendants they 

 will starve amid abundance. Let slaves be introduced, 

 and the scene changes. With the instincts of a phi- 

 lanthropist and a nurse — or, shall we say, of a born ser- 

 vant? — the black laborers take the Amazons in hand, 

 rescue from death those who still live, clean up the 

 house, and set aifairs agoing comfortably. 



Turning to the Sanguine ants, we find a condition 

 wholly different. The red warriors are workers also. 



78 



