CHAP. X. ANTS COBIMUNICATE THEIR IDEAS. 317 



with which a knowledge of the injury has been com- 

 municated to the whole society. No noise is heard 

 no sound is emitted ; yet, in a few minutes, many 

 thousands, stationed in a remote part of the city, are 

 informed of a calamity which has occurred in the 

 suburbs. Now, nothing can account for this, but the 

 possession of a sort of language, communicated and 

 understood between themselves, not by sound, but by 

 touch. On these, and similar occasions, the ants may 

 be observed to strike each other's head, or bring their 

 antennae into contact : this, then, is their language ; for 

 these acts are followed by a change of purpose in the 

 individuals to whom the information is conveyed. M. 

 Huber, who, to study these creatures more closely, had 

 portable nests of them in his house, plunged one of his 

 artificial formicaries into a pan of water ; this proved a 

 source of great enjoyment to these little captives, 

 for they are a very thirsty race, and lap, as Gould ob- 

 served, like dogs. One day, when he observed many 

 of them tripping very merrily, upon disturbing them, 

 the greater part went in a fright to the nest ; but some, 

 more thirsty than the rest, continued their potations. 

 " Upon this, one of those which had retreated returns to 

 inform his thoughtless companions of their danger : one 

 he pushes with his jaws, another he strikes first upon 

 the belly, and then upon the breast, and so obliges 

 three of them to leave off their carousing and to march 

 homewards ; but the fourth, more resolute to drink it 

 out, is not to be discomfited, and pays not the least 

 regard to the kind blows with which his companion, 

 solicitous for his safety, repeatedly belabours him ; at 

 length, determined to have his way, he seizes him by 

 one of his hind legs, and gives him a violent pull. 

 Upon this, leaving his liquor, the loiterer turns round, 

 and opening his threatening jaws with every appearance 

 of anger, goes very coolly to drinking again ; but his 

 monitor, without further ceremony, rushes before him, 

 seizes him by his jaws, and at last drags him off in 

 triumph to the formicary." The warlike or predatory 



