THE HARVESTING ANTS. 



287 



small percentage of the nests, and only those situated in grassy locali- 

 ties, present such circles. Now to state that the inolefacicns, like a 

 provident farmer, sows this cereal and guards and weeds it for the sake 

 of garnering its grain, is as absurd as to say that the family cook is 

 planting and maintaining an orchard when some of the peach stones, 

 which she has carelessly thrown into the backyard with the other 

 kitchen refuse, chance to grow into peach trees. 



There are several other facts that go to show that the circle of 

 grass about the inolefacicns nests is an unintentional and inconstant 

 by-product of the activities of the ant-colony. First, the Aristida often 

 grows in flourishing patches far from the nests of inolefacicns. Second, 





*~ '-*. 



FIG. 163. Mound of Pogonomyrme.v occidentnlis at Las Vegas, New Mexico, show- 

 ing large cleared area around cone. (Original.) 



one often finds very flourishing ant colonies that have existed for years 

 in the midst of much travelled roads or in stone side-walks thirty 

 meters or more from any vegetation whatsoever. In these cases 

 the ants simply resort for their supply of seeds to the nearest field or 

 lawn, or pilfer the oat-bin of the nearest stable. Third, it is evident 

 that even a complete circle of grass like that described by Lincecnm 

 and McCook would be entirely inadequate to supply more than a very 

 small fraction of the grain necessary for the support of a flourishing- 

 colony of these ants. Hence they are always obliged to make long 

 trips into the surrounding vegetation, and thereby wear out regular 



