6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY 0? 



accommodation of the community, be displays a degree of forethonght, skill 

 and ingenuity, which is arrogantly claimed to belong only to the genus homo. 

 In the first place, a single female winged ant selects a live tree, in a locality 

 favorably situated for the peculiar habits of the species, and the growth of the 

 insects upon which it feeds mainly. She now seeks out some small crevice, 

 dead limb, or wind crack in the tree, and cutting off her wing3, which are no- 

 longer useful, but in the way, she commences the work of boriog and chisel- 

 ing out suitable apartments for the coming community. This she accomplishes- 

 by cutting away the firm, sound wood of the growing tree, until she has com- 

 pleted a sufficient number of apartments, or cells, in which to deposit her eggs r 

 and this ends her labors. Very soon 12 days she has produced a swarm of 

 neutrals, who go to work collecting food and extending the cells to suit the 

 growing population, until, as I have often witnessed, the inner portion of the 

 tree will be cut into singularly constructed cells to the extent of 6 or 7 feet,, 

 without greatly diminishing its strength." 



Other extracts from the letter, in relation to certain speeies cf grapes 

 of Texas, are as follows : 



" I am familiar with Buckley's V. monticola, and am pleased that it has 

 at last been named, and placed in scientific classi6cation. I am not right sure- 

 that all the Texas grapes have yet been noted. I think it quite probable that 

 future industry and close scientific scrutiny will deveb pe other species and; 

 varieties, particularly when the investigator penetrates the valleys and gulches 

 of our exceeding rough mountain ranges." 



" la reference to the Post oak grapes, there are two species here that are- 

 known among the people as the ' Post oak grape.' 1 They are found in the Post 

 oak lands. The one I sent you flourishes best in the very sandy elevations, 

 with the bitter- fruited Post oak. This species does not rise exceeding four 

 or five feet ; it is more of a bush than a vine. The berry is large and sour, but 

 its odor is very fine. The other species is sometimes found in the same soil, 

 alongside of the first, but more frequently in better soil, always, however,, 

 in Post oak lands, which as a general thing, are more or less sandy. This 

 species is a climbing vine, running over the tops of the trees, bearing heavy 

 crops of large grapes. These are also too sour for a table grape ; they pro- 

 duce a very palatable wine, which, very probably, might be greatly improved 

 by cultivation." 



"Mr. G. J. Durham, (my son in-law,) examined your description of the 

 Vitis monticola to-day. He says Buckley is right about it being the best 

 American grape, but has never seen such large clusters as you describe ; has 

 eat of the fruit, which he describes as maturing in September ; that the berry 

 when ripe, is of a medium siae, bright green, sprinkled with black dots, very 

 sweet, and that the vine sometimes attains to the height of ten or eleven feet. 

 It is almost universally found among, and clambering on the rocks, on dry 

 limestone elevations. That it is not very abundant, &c, all of which I know 

 to be correct. The other small mountain black grape is more abundant, and is 

 also quite sweet. It occupies lower grounds than the V. montic(.la r being found 

 mostly in the heads of the ravines, runniugon the dogwood trees in such quan- 

 tit es, that he, Durham, has seen them, towards the latter part of September, 

 when the leaves had all shed off, and in many places where the vines had mat- 

 ted the tops of the dogwoods, impart a blue caste to the whole scenery, even 

 at a mile's distance. Companies of soldiers have been known to subsist upon 

 them alone, two or three days at a time, and no ill results arose from it. This 

 last grape is called by the people of that country, ' sugar grape,' and is highly 

 esteemed by all who have a knowledge of it. They will travel a great way at 

 1he proper season to procure them. The soldiers who are stationed in or near 

 the mountains will go 30 or 40 miles after them. And yet, I have never heard 

 of an attempt to domesticate either of the mountain species. 



[Jan. 



