NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 327 



hills, with pavements still smooth and nude of grass or weeds, indicating that 

 they had been very recently occupied. The missing communities were all dead 

 extinct had been destroyed by a series of rainy seasons. Then, there were 

 but few of these ant cities to be found that were occupied. But when the 

 drouth set in, the earth being no longer filled with water, they began to multi- 

 ply very rapidly. City after city appeared as the dry weather continued, and 

 now, 18G3, at the close of a ten years' drouth, they have spread so extensively, 

 that their clean little paved cities are to be seen every fifty or sixty yards, espe- 

 cially along the roadsides, in the prairies, walks in yards and fields, barren 

 rocky places, &c. In beds of heavy grass, or weeds, or in deep shady wood- 

 lands, they very seldom locate a city. They prefer sunshine and a clear sky. 

 This ant does not work in the heat of the day during hot weather, but makes 

 up the lost time during the night. I have often found them busily engaged at 

 2 and even 3 o'clock, A. M. Before day, however, they call off the workers, 

 ami rest till about sunrise. In more favorable weather, when they can operate 

 all day, they do not work late at night. 



In regard to courage, there can be no mistake in stating, that when the 

 interests of the nation are involved, this ant exhibits no signs of fear or dread 

 of any consequences that may result to self, while engaged in the discharge of 

 its duties. 



The police or national guards of a community which has been established 

 three or four years, number in the aggregate, of the parties on duty, from one 

 to two hundred. These are seen all the time, in suitable weather, unceasingly 

 promenading the environs of the city. If an observer takes his stand near the 

 edge of the pavement, he will discover an instantaneous movement in the en- 

 tire police corps, coming wave-like towards him. If the observer imprudently 

 keeps his position, he will soon see numbers of them at his feet, and without 

 the slightest degree of precaution, or the least hesitation, they climb up his 

 boots, on his clothes, and as soon as they come to anything that they can bite 

 or sting, whether it be boot, or cloth, or skin, they go right to work biting 

 and stinging ; and very often, if they get good hold on any soft texture, they 

 will suffer themselves to be torn to pieces before they will relinquish it. If 

 they succeed in getting to the bare skin, they inflict a painful wound, the irri- 

 tation, swelling and soreness of which will not subside in twenty-four hours. 



If any worm or small bug shall attempt to travel across their pavement, it 

 is immediately arrested, and soon covered with the fearless warriors, who in a 

 short time deprive it of life. Woe unto any luckless wight of a tumble-bug who 

 may attempt to roll his spherical treasure upon that sacred and forbidden 

 pavement. As soon as the dark, execrable globe of unholy material is discov- 

 ered by the police to be rolling on, and contaminating the interdicted grounds, 

 they rush with one accord upon the vile intruder, and instantly seizing him by 

 every leg and foot, dispatch him in a short time. Sometimes the tumble-bug 

 takes the alarm at the start, while only two or three of the ants have hold on 

 it, expands its wings and flies off with them hanging to its legs. If it fails 

 to make this early effort, it very soon falls a victim to the exasperated soldiery. 

 The ball of filth is left on the pavement, sometimes in the very entrance to the 

 city. In due time the workers take possession of it, cut it into fragments, and 

 pack it off beyond the limits of the incorporated grounds. 



I have not observed that anything preys to any considerable extent upon 

 this species of ant. Chickens and mocking birds will sometimes pick up a few 

 of them, but not often. If anything else in Texas eats them. 1 have not noticed 

 it. Neither have I observed their nests bored into or dug up in middle Texas. 



The agricultural ant is of but little disadvantage to the farmer, however nu- 

 merous, as it is never seen six inches from the ground, nor does it cut or 

 trouble any growing vegetable outside of its pavement, except the seeds of the 

 noxious weeds and grasses. Sometimes it is found stealing corn meal, broom- 

 corn seeds, &c; but it is only when it finds them on the ground that it steals 

 even these. 



1866.] 



