ORDER IX. HYMENOPTERA. — SOLDIER-ANTS. 319 
from enjoying it alone, like a gourmand, it invites all its companions to the 
feast. Community of goods and interests exists among all the members of 
this model society. It is the practical realization of the dream formed by 
certain philosophers of our day, who were only able to conceive the idea, 
the possibility, the project of such a community of goods and interests, 
which is among ants a reality. 
How do these insects manage to make themselves understood in such vari- 
ous ways—ask for help, give advice and invitations? They must have 
a language of their own, or else they must communicate their impressions 
by their antenne. 
When an ant is hungry, and does not wish to be disturbed in its work, 
it tells a foraging ant as it passes by touching it with its antennw ; the latter 
approaches it immediately, and presents it, on the end of its tongue, some 
juice it has disgorged for this purpose. 
The antenne, then, are used by the ants for the purpose of making them- 
selves understood by each other. Dr. Ebrard, who studied these insects 
attentively, is of opinion that they use them in the same way as a blind man 
does his stick, to feel their way with, for their sight is not good. The age 
to which ants live is not well known. It is believed that the workers live 
many years. 
Ants are also very fond of a peculiar liquid which the plant lice secrete 
from a pouch in the abdomen. When they have got possession of a plant 
louse, they excite it to secrete this liquid, but without doing it any harm. 
They carry the plant lice into the ant-hill, or into private stables. 
There they keep them, give them their food, and suck them. We have 
already mentioned these curious relations which are established between ants 
and plant lice. The Gallinsecta also furnish the ants with sugary liquids. 
During the cold of winter the ants sleep at the bottom of their nests, 
without taking any food. A small number of species only hold out through 
the severe season by shutting themselves up in the ant-hill with a number 
of plant lice. It is thus that they pass the winter with a supply of food. 
We must mention, however, that in warm countries the ants do not hi- 
bernate. 
Tue Ants As SOLDIERS. —“ Two species,” says a pleasing author, “con- 
stitute the warrior tribes which form societies mixed with the species they 
reduce to slavery. They are the Russet Ant and the Blood-red Ant. They 
always attack the nests of the Ashy-black (2orméca fusca) and the Miners. 
The Russet Ant has mandibles made for war; they appear cut out for strug- 
gling and fighting. The Blood-red Ants are less ferocious. They work 
themselves, and make none of those sweeping raids by which the Russet 
Ants depopulate the neighboring ant-hills. 
