Abstract
IN the notes on Australian ants forwarded by me by the last mail I forget whether any mention was made respecting an idea that has struck me several times, as to the method in which the antennæ are employed by ants as a means of communicating with each other. That ants utter no audible sound is pretty plainly proved by experiments made with the microphone. It is said that the Ambillidæ give a kind of sharp cry when captured, but the statement requires to be verified. Ordinary ants may be generally spoken of as destitute of any means whereby to utter articulate speech. Beyond the fact that they do not appear to be able to speak, so as to be heard by human ears, the tests resorted to by Sir John Lubbock would go to show that it is extremely doubtful whether ants possess the sense of hearing at all. This, however, dies not preclude the possibility, or even the probability, of their being in full power of a means by which they are able to converse. It will be remembered that the antennæ are divided into two separate portions, the scape and the flabellum. The latter is subdivided into about ten separate segments. Now in this arrangement, by adopting a preconcerted system of signals, all the words of an English dictionary might be expressed.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
HARRISON, T. Animal Intelligence. Nature 30, 538 (1884). https://doi.org/10.1038/030538b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/030538b0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.