36 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1879. 



rying leaves from trees and shrubs was observed at Camp Wright, 

 and at a vegetable garden near Austin. In order better to see 

 the mode of cutting, small tender branches of live-oak were 

 thrust into the mound near the gates. These were soon covered 

 with ants, and as the lantern could thus be used convenient!}', the 

 operations of the cutters were completely in view. The cutter 

 grasps the leaf with outspread feet, and makes an incision at the 

 edge by a scissors-like motion of her sickle-shaped toothed 

 mandibles. She gradually revolves, steadily cutting as she does 

 so, her mandibles thus describing a circle, or the greater portion 

 thereof. The feet turn with the head. The cut is a clean one, 

 quite through the leaf. The cutter will sometimes drop with the 

 excision to the ground, sometimes retire when the section has 

 dropped, sometimes (it is inferred) seize the section and carry it 

 down the tree. A division of labor was apparent. At the foot 

 of one tree was a pile of cut leaves, to which clippings were con- 

 tinually being added by droppings from above. Carriers on the 

 ground took these up, and bore them to the nest. The loading 

 of the cuttings is thus : the piece is seized by the curved mandi- 

 bles, the head is elevated, the piece is thrown back by a quick 

 motion, seeming to lie lodged on its edge within the deep furrow 

 that runs along the entire medial line of the head (except the 

 elypeus), and supported between prominent spines on the e(\ge of 

 this furrow and on the prothorax. The furrow and spines thus 

 appear to serve a very useful end. The cutting and carrying were 

 not done (so far as noted) by the smaller castes. The soldiers 

 rarely engaged in this work, but were seen to precede the excur- 

 sion columns as they moved out and up the tree, and afterward 

 to return, as though engaged as scouts or pioneers. 



The principal leaves gathered at Camp Wright were those of 

 the live-oak. The young saplings in the neighborhood of the 

 mound were in great part or entirely defoliated. The great tree 

 above was in parts stripped to the very top. So also was some 

 wild vine unknown to him. In beginning work the cutters, seem 

 to aim first at the topmost leaves. A nest on the grounds of an 

 intelligent nurseryman and gardener near Austin was visited, and 

 from the proprietor many facts were learned. Ants were here 

 seen at work late in the afternoon. They had come up through 

 the garden from the formicary, three hundred feet distant. They 

 prefer trees with a smooth leaf; are severe upon grapes, peaches, 

 the China tree, radishes; take celery, beets, young corn and 

 wheat, plum, pomegranate, honeysuckle, cape jessamime, crape 

 myrtle, althea. They do not like lettuce, won't take the paper 

 mulberry, nor figs and cedar, except the bud ends in the scant 

 days of winter. They love sugar, grain, and tobacco ! This pro- 

 prietor assured Mr. McCook that the ants made foraging excur- 

 sions into his house, entered his desk-drawers, and carried away 

 a portion of his chewing tobacco before he discovered the rob- 



