CHAPTER III 



SENSES AND INSTINCTS OF HARVESTING ANTS 



Sense of smell — Sense of direction — Communication — Play and sport — 

 Peacefulness — Mode of defence — Emotions — Economy — Migration 

 — Pliability of instinct — Aberration of instinct— Folly of ants. 



The special senses of ants are well worthy of investi- 

 gation. 



It is f^encrally admitted, and I am convinced it is 

 true in the case of the Indian harvesters, that ants find 

 their way mainly by the sense of smell. It is very 

 easy to demonstrate the acute development of this 

 sense by surrounding the opening of the nest with a 

 narrow ring of powdered camphor. The ants become 

 very excited ; they often recognize the odour fully an 

 inch distant from the ring and dart backwards in 

 apparent distress and alarm. With the exception of 

 a few brave spirits that in their confusion dash across 

 the ring, those at the mouth of the nest are cut off 

 from the outside world, neither can those cutting and 

 carrying the harvest enter within. Labour, however, 

 does not cease, for the outside workers, after vainly 

 endeavouring to brave the powerful odours of the 

 camphor, deposit their burdens outside the ring and 

 go off in search of more. It is the possession of this 

 strong sense of smell that enables the harvesters to 

 keep to the same road and pursue an unerring course 



^0 and from the nest. Unusual landmarks placed 



24 



