1880.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 361 



the bee and wasp — were composed of irregular hexagonal cells of 

 various sizes. 



None of these leaf-paper masses exceeded an inch in height ; 

 they lay upon the floor of the cave, C, or were upheld by the fila- 

 mentous rootlets which penetrated within the liollow, or, more 

 properly speaking, around which the cave had been formed. In 

 this respect also the habit of the northern ant resembles that of 

 the southern. Although, as said, the out-door beliavior of the ant 

 could not be observed Ijy Mr. McCook, the insects iiaving all been 

 driven in-doors by the storm, these were observed to some extent 

 by Mr. Morris, the discoverer, during the summer. Mrs. Mary 

 TVeat also visited the Heiglits and noted the same. From verbal 

 reports received from these persons the analogy between the two 

 insects, in respect of gathering and tiansporting leaves, appears 

 to be quite close. There are many i)oints, however, which remain 

 to be determined accurately, which it is to be hoped will be done 

 next summer. 



The following account was communicated to the speaker by Mr. 

 Morris, and is incorporated, by his permission, in this note : — 



" In answer to your questions I would say, when first observed, 

 there were two columns, one going each way, and moving ver3' 

 deliberately. If alarmed by any rudeness on my part, they sought 

 safety by remaining perfectly motionless for some time, making- 

 it difficult to find them, as they are nearly the color of the dry 

 leaves. 



" Those in the column going homeward were carrying little pieces 

 of the pine needle or leaf, cut from seedling plants about 2 inches 

 high and upwards. In some instances the piece of leaf was not 

 as lono; as the ant itself, but in others it was longer than the 

 bearer. The appearance presented by the cohunn was very singu- 

 lar, for instead of carrying their burdens as other ants do, so far 

 as I have observed, they bore the load on the head, resting in a 

 saddle-like, V-shaped space between ridges on the head, running 

 from the base of the mandible on each side to tne top of the liead. 

 One end was held firmly by the mandibles. T'he eftect at a little 

 distance was to give them a ' shoulder arms ' appearance. 



" Tracing the column back, I readily found tlieir foraging ground 

 a few feet from the formicary. There were the remains of several 

 seedling pines which had been strip])ed and cut doAvn nearly to 

 the ground. Some ants were at work on the only one left stand- 

 ing, and I enjoj'cd the pleasure of witnessing their operations. 

 There la}' on the ground a few pieces, which were picked up, as I 

 watched, and carried awa}'. On the plant there were two at work 

 cutting. Climbing out on a leaf to a position near tlie end, the 

 ant applied her mandibles, and moved around as she cut, until the 

 piece was severed, when she repeated the process, in most cases 

 allowing the severed pieces to fall. One cutter held on to her last 



