Sept. 1886. ] 
145 


AND eles 

ENTOMOLOG a 
WRIGHT & BATES, 
265 No. Beacon St., Brighton, Mass., 
ASSOCIATE EDITORS. 
Address all communications for this department as above. 

Owing to a combination of circumstan- 
ces we have been unable to see proofs of 
the last three numbers. In consequence 
some errors have crept in that are alike 
annoying to our correspondents and our- 
selves. Hereafter we will see the proofs 
‘before going to press and will endeavor to 
see that there is no further cause for com- 
plaint. 

An Ant Battle. 
BY L. E. HOOD. 
Ants are remarkable insects and are very intel- 
ligent, some being fine masons, constructing won- 
derful homes full of arches, galleries and cham- 
bers; others are architects and gnaw palaces in 
tree trunks, that are grand evidences of their 
industry and perseverance; others, like the Agri- 
cultural Ant of Texas, plant and harvest grain 
for future use. 
Some with less pretensions live under stones, 
bark of trees and in any place that will furnish 
them protection; but whether you look to the 
small species that plague the housewife by crawl- 
ing into the sugar, butter and preserves, or the 
great ants of the tropics, that construct hills eight 
feet high, you will find plenty of interesting study. 
In their houses, or cities as they may well be 
termed, they live in peace, though thousands are 
living under one roof, working, gathering food, 
and caring for the young, with but one thought: 
the general welfare of the whole. 
In their daily life they show much patience 
and love for one anothers and often do things 
that are so intelligent that it would almost seem 
more than instinct. 
Living, as they do, in colonies of vast numbers, 
they consume a large amount of food and are 
obliged to keep foragers out all the time, who 
seem to be content with their hard life, are very 
industrious, often carrying burdens many times 
their own size and weight, and not only will they 
do their own share of toil, but will hasten to help 
a brother when he has more than he can carry. 
It is a curious sight to watch them at their 
work, and I have often placed flies and other in- 
sects in their path and noticed many remarkable 
traits of character. 

Once as I was walking in the fields I heard a 
rustling in the grass, looking down I saw two 
brown ants trying to drag a disabled grasshopper 
toward a large ant hill not far away, but do their 
best it was impossible for them to gain an inch, 
the ants would rush up and catching the grass- 
hopper by the wing or leg draw back, but a half 
jump of the hopper would compel them to seek 
safety in flight. They would return again to the 
charge but all in vain. 
Finding they were not able to drag their prey 
away, one ran off to the hill, while the other 
stayed to continue the fight. 
Ina few moments I saw a brown ant rush up 
followed by a score of others, and by their united 
strength soon had the grasshopper under control 
and I saw the last of him as he was drawn 
through one of the openings of their nest. 
When one finds a treasure he communicates it 
to the others and soon many will be seen around 
it; place a spoonful of granulated sugar near an 
ant’s nest and before long one will find it; grasp- 
ing a grain it will carry it into the nest, and on its 
return others will follow until it is fairly covered 
with moving forms, and in a short time they will 
have it carried away. 
That they have some way of expressing 
thoughts to one another is a well-known fact, but 
how it is done is more of a mystery ; perhaps it 
is done by certain touches of the antenne, as it is 
common to see them use this organ in meeting 
one another, at times by simply touching anten- 
nee to antennee. At others they stroke the head, 
thorax or body. Just what these different move- 
ments signify it is hard to learn, but often when 
one finds a treasure too big to carry alone it 
rushes back to the ant hill, and running about 
touches several ants and soon a number of them 
will be seen going in the direction of the coveted 
prize. 
They are very affectionate to their young. 
Disturb a nest and you will find them carrying 
off their larvee and pup to places of safety with- 
out a seeming thought of their own danger. 
Then they have wars, and fight in a most sav- 
age way. At times countless thousands engage 
in the strife, and it is said by those who have 
seen them, that they go forth in companies, with 
scouts, officers and foragers, like a regular army. 
These wars are for various objects, mostly for 
slaves; but sometimes to punish injuries, real or 
supposed. 
I have never seen but one battle between ants, 
and this one was more of a mob, for it lacked all 
order or system, and as far as I could see had no 
officers or scouts, but the attacking party merely 
