Among ants that keep cattle we mustdistinguish two
or even three groups. There are humanscientists who make us ants the special object
of their studies.
Whatever happened, to us it came as asurprise. So
we preferred to re-establish the normal functioningof our perceptions before we went
out. The weather had cleared; and a magnificent half-moon stood high inthe
sky.
Now one night he forgotto touch that button when he
left after having milked his cows. Inless than a second my dear friend and one of
the greatest scholarsliving was reduced to pulp. But one evening we had a strange
adventure with ants. Such was our lamentable exit from this farm of
man.
The pigcollapsed; its legs went rigid, though still
atremble. This time she succeeded in stingingthe tongue and in injecting a plentiful
dose of formic acid.
Our investigations showed that theyhave learned to
extract from this source all it will yield.
I saw the antennæ of the strangerjerking and knew
at once that our difficulty was solved. What pleased us was thealmost formicarian
way of his intercourse with the animals.
But occasionally we disturbed theseaphidicoles
inadvertently, as, f.
The stranger sawthrough her artifice and was
pleased.
The pigcollapsed; its legs went rigid, though still
atremble. These he could induce at will toemit an almost blinding
radiance.
I must explain that this man had mysterious means
of lighting hisbarn at night.
A closer examination, however, revealed that not
all of thisexpanse was solid rock. Our investigations showed that theyhave learned
to extract from this source all it will yield.
He was armed with all sorts of weapons, forceps,
transparentcylinders, bags, boxes, and trowels. So far, the days were still fine,
though the nights became rapidlycolder.
Such was our lamentable exit from this farm of
man.
In the burrow, there was the utmost confusion. The
stranger sawthrough her artifice and was pleased. Naturally, Assa-ree had toremain
with them; and to my surprise she submitted without amurmur.
I should willingly have parted with the wholearmy
if I could have recalled her to life.
In the first place, this record is tobe a birds-eye
view of the whole of antdom.
Beyond, we again entered a sloping gallery which
again opened intoa vaulted chamber. Besides, a large flock of huge birds of the
gallinaceous orderroamed freely over all chambers.
This was the landmark which the Solenopsis queen
had given me.
Life ebbed; the joints relaxed;the brute lay limp.
This was terrible news indeed; and we sat silent when she hadended. In these
northern latitudes there are few ants whodo not at least occasionally partake of
them. At regular intervals huge, white, bulb-like fire-flies were fixed to the
ceiling.
Again a generalization is indicated here.
Naturally, the proceedings were started by Her Majesty who asked meto give an
account of ourselves.