Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1902 — Discipline Among Ants. [ARTICLE]

Discipline Among Ants.

The region of the Amazon Is overran byan interesting species of ants known as saubas. They are represented as the curse of the country because of their social and military organization. Some observations upon the discipline maintained by them are made by C. Barrington Brown. We were greatly amused by a singular struggle going on between a soldier ant and his working fellows at the mouth of their underground nest. Some eight or ten of the workers clung on to his legs and antennae, and tried to drag him back as he endeavored to come out of the hole. Although he was furnished with huge mandibles, he did not lose his temper nor try to bite them, and it was evident that, although they detained hljn by force, they never nipped him During the struggle they allowed two or three other soldiers to saunter out past them and go roaming by themselves. It appeared as If this particular Individual had behaved badly, was under arrest, and was now being prevented from breaking barracks. The end of the struggle was not witnessed Ly us, and It will never be known who gained the day, but from all appearances It went against the soldier.