34 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1879. 



mound, 21 feet long, and about 4 feet high, which had been accu- 

 mulated around the trunk of a double live-oak tree, Quercus 

 virens, which stood on the side of a road. The second form was 

 located at a point distinguished as Camp Jeanes. It was on a 

 high, flat, upland prairie, and was a bed of denuded earth, in the 

 midst of the grassy open, 8 feet 9 inches long, and 7 feet, more 

 or less, across. Over this denuded surface were scattered between 

 twenty and thirty circular, semicircular, and S-shaped elevations 

 of fresh earth-pellets. The circular moundlets had the appear- 

 ance of an American spittoon, the resemblance being stronger by 

 reason of a round open entrance or gallery door in the centre. All 

 had apparently been naturally formed by the gradual accumula- 

 tion of the pellets of sandy soil, as they were brought out, and 

 dumped upon the circumference of the heap. The moundlets were 

 massed at the base, and gradually sloped off towards the top. 

 They were from 3 to 4 inches high. This "bed" (as the natives 

 call it) was quite free from grass, as was also the mound at Camp 

 Wright. Another nest of the same character was found at Camp 

 Jeanes ; this was situated in a grove, but was fully exposed to 

 the sun. A fourth nest was found about a mile distant from this 

 spot, of the same character. This is, therefore, probably the 

 normal form of the external architecture of the formicary, the 

 mound at Camp Wright being probably formed b3 r accumulations 

 around the tree, caused by the bordering road, which restricted 

 the limits of the gates, and so threw the separate moundlets back 

 upon each other. 



2. Gates or Doors. His first view of the mound at Camp 

 Wright led him to fear that he had made a mistake, and pitched 

 his ('amp near an abandoned nest. There was not a sign of life. 

 The mound was covered over with earthen knobs or warts of 

 various sizes, but the action of a recent shower upon the black 

 soil gave the hill the appearance of an old one. Here and there 

 were scattered over the surface small irregular heaps of dry leaves, 

 bits of leaves, and twigs. Otherwise, the mound seemed lifeless, 

 deserted. As the evening began to fall the scene was wholly 

 changed. Hosts of ants, of various sizes, and in countless num- 

 bers, were hurrying out of open gates into the neighboring 

 jungle, and two long double columns were stretched from the 

 bottom to the top of the large overhanging live oak. The ants 

 in the descending columns all carried above their heads portions 

 of green leaves, which waved to and fro and glanced in the lantern 

 light, giving to the moving column a weird look, as it moved 

 along. It seemed like a procession of Lilliputian Sabbath-school 

 children bearing aloft their banners. It is this habit which has 

 given this insect in some quarters the popular name of the 

 "Parasol Ant." It is also called in Texas the "Brazilian Ant," 

 but is quite universally known as the " Cutting Ant," certainly a 

 most appropriate name. 



The opening and closing of the gates occurs before and after 



