ORGANIZATION OF THE ANT. 
149 
called, long, delicate, yet robust, and vibrating at the slightest touch, 
are fleshy, articulated in twenty pieces, and disposed one in another. 
They form an instrument admirably adapted for feeling and groping. 
But it is useful in many other ways: by means of it the ants transmit 
in a second very complicated advices, as, for instance, when they change 
their course and retire, or suddenly take a wholly different road; evi¬ 
dently they have a language like that of the telegraph. This supposed 
marvellous organ of touch is more probably a species of hearing appa¬ 
ratus, and so mobile that it quivers at the slightest vibrations of the 
air, and feels every wave of sound. 
The perfect accord of every movement of the delicate and subtle 
tactile and telegraphic apparatus, the strong head, in fine, which seem¬ 
ingly thinks , completed the illusion. Its attitudes, its gropings, its 
efforts to obtain a knowledge of the situation, showed precisely what 
we should have been under similar circumstances. Shakespeare’s Queen 
Mab, in her nut-shell chariot, occurred to my mind. And more, the 
chronicles of the Hubers; those impressive and almost terrifying nar¬ 
ratives which would lead us to believe that the ants are far advanced 
in a knowledge of good and evil. 
It turned its back upon me obstinately, as if it dreaded to see its 
persecutor. It looked upon me as a horrible giant, and, despite its 
semi-intoxicated condition, made constant and energetic efforts to 
escape me, and place itself in security. 
I brought it back very softly and cautiously. But I could not 
make it show me its face. Its antipathy and its terror, undoubtedly, 
were too powerful. I therefore decided to take hold of it with a small 
pair of pincers, and to keep it on its back, using as little pressure as 
possible. The pressure, though light, acting on the small lateral 
orifices (or stigmata) through which it breathes, was infinitely painful, 
to judge. from the resistance it offered. With its minute claws and 
mandibles it held the pincers so firmly that I could hear the air vibrate 
with every motion. I hastily profited by the painful position in which 
I had placed my ant; I looked it in the face. 
