422 



Marvels of the Universe 



of these tunnels at Subilsu, near Tarkwa, which measured thirty-two feet in length, and within this 

 length I found several perpendicular air, emergency, or escape shafts, measuring eight, fourteen 

 and eighteen inches deep, sunk below the surface. They were placed at a little distance from a 

 position where a possible wash might occur. 



The carrying strength of the Ant is out of all proportion to its size. I have often seen an Ant 

 struggling along with a beetle a dozen times its own weight ; but this feat sinks into insignificance 



with the extraordinary powers 

 they possess of communicating 

 with one another. In watch^ 

 ing their movements, I have 

 noted the rapidity with which 

 the Ants forming the rear 

 sections of a procession be- 

 come aware of any interrup- 

 tion to their advance column a 

 long way ahead. They appear 

 to have a system of instantly 

 telegraphing the news up and 

 down the line ; for all the 

 fighting Ants become excited, 

 and rush forward to give 

 battle or to investigate the 

 cause of the interruption. 



I tested this on one occa- 

 sion by placing a friend one 

 hundred yards ahead in their 

 procession, and told him on 

 a given signal to break their 

 line, while I timed with a 

 watch how long it took be- 

 fore a commotion transpired 

 amongst the Ants passing 

 where I stood. 



In ten seconds from the 

 time my friend called out, 

 all was bustle and excite- 

 ment ; the carriers halted, 

 but the warrior Ants rushed 

 forward, showing clearly that 

 they were aware of trouble 

 ahead. 



While I was travelling a bush-path near Bensu, in the Gold Coast Colony, during the dry season, 

 my natives suddenly warned me to quit the path and make a detour to avoid an open, dry, sandy 

 spot that lay in the road, saying, " that a big palaver of Ants was taking place, as they were electing 

 a new king on the throne " (" stool," they called it), " and if we disturbed them they would flog us 

 bad "(meaning " bite "). The ground in front of me was black with Ants, and streams of them were 

 pouring in from all sides. The noise they made rustling over the leaves and ground sounded like 

 the swish of a scythe. In the centre of this living mass was a small open space, encircled with rings 

 of Ants, all facing outwards with their nippers held up. There were several clearly defined rings. 



A BALL OF ANTS. 



A huge blac'rC mass of deeping Ants hanging to the roots of 

 shade, seen by the author in Africa. 



[/ill Tlu-n. Vnrrcras. 

 tree in the 



