THE ANTS' SALUTE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 24 December 1913, Page 3

THE ANTS' SALUTE.

Ants have long been unfavorably known for their excessive Industry, but from a curious oommunicatkm which appears in Knowledge they seem to have surpassed all other insects hj organising an elaborate system of signalling. Professor Bugnion, wJio has recently investigated the habits of the white ant, reports that" the "soldiers" of that species give warnings or encouraging signals by knocking with their jaws upon dry teaves, thereby emitting a crackling sound. Placing some of these ants on a big plate and covering it with paper, he found that the "soldiers" among the ants responded to his taps with a rustling, crackiing sound. "Moreover, apart from this audible signalling, there appears to be some in- ; audible form of signal, for the professor asserts that the "soldier" an+s salute the worker ants. To do t*his "£Be insect stands firmly on its legs with the head raised and the Body slightly obliflue, and shakes itself for an instant with a convulsive shudder. This seems to mean something."