HARVESTING ANTS. 107 



the process go on year after year on the same ant-farms, 

 and adds, 



There can be no doubt of the fact that the particular species 

 of grain- bearing grass mentioned above is intentionally planted. 

 In farmer-like manner the ground upon which it stands is care- 

 fully divested of all other grasses and weeds during the time it is 

 growing. When it is ripe the grain is taken care of, the dry 

 stubble cut away and carried off, the paved area being left un- 

 encumbered until the ensuing autumn, when the same ' ant-rice ' 

 reappears within the same circle, and receives the same agri- 

 cultural attention as was bestowed upon the previous crop and 

 so on year after year, as I know to be the case, in all situations 

 when the ant's settlements are protected from graminivorous 

 animals. 



In a second letter Dr. Lincecum, in reply to an inquiry 

 from Mr. Darwin whether he sapposed that the ants plant 

 seeds for the ensuing crop, says : 



I have not the slightest doubt of it. And my conclusions 

 have not been arrived at from hasty or careless observation, nor 

 from seeing the ants do something that looked a little like it, 

 and then guessing at the results. I have at all seasons watched 

 the same ant-cities during the last twelve years, and I know 

 that what I stated in my former letter is true. I visited the 

 same cities yesterday, and found the crop of ant rice growing 

 finely, and exhibiting also the signs of high cultivation, and not 

 a blade of any other kind of grass or weed was to be seen 

 within twelve inches of the circular row of ant-rice. (Journ. 

 Linn. Soc., vol. vi. p. 30-1.) 



Now, MacCook found the ant-rice growing as described, 

 but only on some nests. Why it does not grow upon all 

 the nests he does not understand. So far, then,, as his 

 observations go, they confirm those of Dr. Lincecum ; but 

 he does ' not believe that the ants deliberately sow a crop 

 as Lincecum asserts ; ' he thinks * that they have for some 

 reason found it to their advantage to permit the aristida 

 to grow upon their disks, while they clear off all other 

 herbage ; ' but finally concludes 4 that there is nothing 

 unreasonable, nor beyond the probable capacity of the 

 emmet intellect, in the supposition that the crop is actually 

 sown. Simply, it is the Scotch verdict " Not proven." ' 



