Search Results - The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

could never have got below to help in the all-important task of preparing passages and chambers for the accommodation of the larv . These numerous and funnel-shaped entrances admitted of the simultaneous descent and ascent of large numbers of ants, and the work progressed with proportionate rapidity. After a few days only three entrances, and eventually only one, remained open. Concerning the harvesting ant of Texas, the following quotation may be made, under the present head, from MacCook

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

They were agriculturals! So also were the other nests shown. The reason for this confounding of the two ants on the part of the people hereabouts, and the reason for the 'cutting' operations of our harvesters, will be explained farther on. It is only in point here to say that the farmer affirmed that the ants under the peach tree had stripped off the first tender leaves last spring, so that scarcely one had been left upon the limbs. I am convinced that the reason for this onslaught was the

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

larger ant came forward and put an end to the difficulty. It rose to its full height on its hind legs, and struggled until at. last it seized a rather projecting splinter of the wooden leg, and managed to take bold of it. As soon as this was done other ants ran on to it, strengthened the hold by clinging, and so made a little living bridge, over which the others could easily pass. The same author publishes the following very remarkable observation, quoted from a letter to him by Dr. Ellendorf

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F1362 Book: Darwin, C. R. 1882. The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms, with observations on their habits. 6th thousand (corrected). London: John Murray. Text Image PDF

succeed in some one way. But it is surprising that an animal so low in the scale as a worm should have the capacity for acting in this manner, as many higher animals have no such capacity. For instance, ants may be seen vainly trying to drag an object transversely to their course, which could be easily drawn longitudinally; though after a time they generally act in a wiser manner. M. Fabre states* that a Sphex —an insect belonging to the same highly-endowed order with ants —stocks its nest with

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F1364 Book: Darwin, C. R. 1882. The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms, with observations on their habits. Seventh thousand. Corrected by Francis Darwin. London: John Murray. Text Image PDF

surprising that an animal so low in the scale as a worm should have the capacity for acting in this manner, as many higher animals have no such capacity. For instance, ants may be seen vainly trying to drag an object transversely to their course, which could be easily drawn longitudinally; though after a time they generally act in a wiser manner. M. Fabrestates* that a Sphex an insect belonging to the same highly-endowed order with ants stocks its nest with paralysed * See his interesting work

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

each other two such mutilated bodies of the F. rufibarbis. They conversed with each other in the above-described way, and appeared each to beg for help. But when he put in some similarly mutilated ants of a hostile species, F. sanguinea, the picture was changed; war broke out between these cripples just in the same way and with the same fury as between perfect ants.1 The antenn appear to be the most important of the sense-organs, as their removal produces an extraordinary disturbance in the

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F955 Book: Darwin, C. R. 1882. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: John Murray. 2d ed., fifteenth thousand. Text Image PDF

, briefly specify a few points. Ants certainly communicate information to each other, and several unite for the same work, or for games of play. They recognise their fellow-ants after months of absence, and feel sympathy for each other. They build great edifices, keep them clean, close the doors in the evening, and post sentries. They make roads as well as tunnels under rivers, and temporary bridges over them, by clinging together. They collect food for the community, and when an object, too large for

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

automatically invariable, but when 'ants are removed from a nest in the pupa state, tended by strangers, and then restored, some at least of their relatives are certainly puzzled, and in many cases doubt their claims to consanguinity. I say some, because while strangers under the circumstances would have been immediately attacked, these ants were in every case amicably received by the majority of the colony, and it was sometimes several hours before they came across one who did not recognise them

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

stated, viz., that there is so very marked a difference in the result if, on experimenting on two ants, one had access to a large treasure and the other only to a small one. But [page] 53 ANTS COMMUNICATION

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

about three hours. Ants, like many other insects, are in the habit of cleaning themselves, being, like them, provided by nature with combs and brushes, c., for the purpose. But, unlike other insects, several species of ants are also in the habit of assisting each other in the performance of their toilet. The author last quoted gives the following account of this process in the genus Atta: We take a couple; the cleanser has begun at the face, which is licked thoroughly, even the mandibles being

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

saw these ants on a fine day assembled on the surface of their nest, and behaving in a way that he could only explain as simulating festival sports or other games. They raised themselves on their hind legs, embraced each other with their forelegs, seized each other by the antenn , feet, or mandibles, and wrestled but all in friendliest fashion. They then let go, ran after each other, and played hide-and-seek. When one was victorious, it seized all the others in the ring, and tumbled them over

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

vindicated. Mr. Moggridge, who was a careful and industrious observer, found the following points of interest in the habits of the European harvesters. From the nest in various directions there proceed outgoing trains, which may be from twenty to thirty or more yards in length, and each consists of a double row of ants, moving, like the leaf-cutting ants, in opposite directions. Those in the outgoing row are empty-handed, while those in the incoming row are laden. But here the burdens are grass seeds

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

the granaries. He also says, By a fortunate chance I have been able to prove that the seeds will germinate in an undisturbed granary when the ants are prevented from obtaining access to it: and this goes to show not only that the structure and nature of the granary chamber is not sufficient of itself to prevent germination, but also that the presence of the ants is essential to secure the dormant condition of the seeds. I discovered in two places portions of distinct nests of Atta structor which

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

the extremity of the slenderest twig; the tree at the same time flourishing as if it had no such inmate.' On breaking one of the branches the ants swarm out in legions. Some of our native species also have the habit of excavating the interior of trees, though not on so extensive a scale. Honey-making Ant (Myrmecocystus mexieanus). This ant is found in Texas and New Mexico. Capt. W. B. Fleeson has observed its habits, and his observations have been communicated to the Californian Academy of

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

the ends of the whole net being fastened to the earthen walls of the chamber. In each one of the squares, supported by the web, sits one of the honey-making ants (II.). Here these honey makers live in perpetual confinement, and receive a constant supply of flowers, pollen, c., which is continually being brought them by (I.), and which, by a process analogous to that performed by the bee, they convert into honey. Such is an epitome of the only account that the world has yet received of the

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

The most formidable of all is the great red ant, or Dimiya. It is particularly abundant in gardens and on fruit-trees; it constructs its dwellings by gluing the leaves of such species as are suitable from their shape and pliancy into hollow balls, and these it lines with a kind of transparent paper, like that manufactured by the wasp. I have watched them at the interesting operation of forming these dwellings; a line of ants standing on the edge of one leaf bring another into contact with it

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

exactly similar to one of those pigeons from which Flourens removed the hemispheres of the cerebrum. Just in the same way behaves the body of an ant from which the head has been taken away. In the numerous fights between amazons and other ants, countless cases have been observed of slight injury to the brain, which have caused the most remarkable phenomena. Many of the wounded were seized with a mad rage, and flung themselves at every one that came in their way, whether friend or foe. Others

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F1416 Book contribution: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Extracts from Darwin's draft chapter 10 of Natural selection]. In Romanes, G. J., Animal intelligence. London: Kegan Paul Trench & Co. Text Image PDF

for the sweet secretion of 'frog-hoppers:' Similarly as, on the savannahs, I had observed a wasp attending the honey-glands of the bull's-horn acacia along with the ants; so at Santo Domingo another wasp, belonging to quite a different genus (Nectarina), attended some of the clusters of frog-hoppers, and for the possession of others a constant skirmishing was going on. The wasp stroked the young hoppers, and sipped up the honey when it was exuded, just like the ants. [page] 195 BEES AND WASPS

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F1362 Book: Darwin, C. R. 1882. The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms, with observations on their habits. 6th thousand (corrected). London: John Murray. Text Image PDF

INDEX. Abinger, Roman villa at, 180 ─, castings from Roman villa at, with rounded particles, 256 Acids of humus, action on rocks, 242 Africa, dust from, 237 Air, currents of, worms sensitive to, 29 Amount of earth brought to the surface by worms, 131 Ants, intelligence of, 95 Archiac, D', criticisms on my views, 4 Artemisia, leaves of, not eaten by worms, 34 Ash-tree, petioles of, 81 Beaulieu Abbey, burial of the old pavement, 195 ─, castings from, with rounded particles, 258 Beaumont, Élie de

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F1364 Book: Darwin, C. R. 1882. The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms, with observations on their habits. Seventh thousand. Corrected by Francis Darwin. London: John Murray. Text Image PDF

INDEX. Abinger, Roman villa at, 180 , castings from Roman villa at, with rounded particles, 256 Acids of humus, action on rocks, 242 Africa, dust from, 237 Air, currents of, worms sensitive to, 29 Amount of earth brought to the surface by worms, 131 Ants, intelligence of, 95 Archiac, D', criticisms on my views, 4 Artemisia, leaves of, not eaten by worms, 34 Ash-tree, petioles of, 81 Beaulieu Abbey, burial of the old pavement, 195 , castings from, with rounded particles, 258 Beaumont, lie de