18 HARVESTING ANTS. 



this affords some evidence of the systematic and 

 extensive scale on which foraging is carried on by 

 this ant, and of the high importance which these 

 creatures attach to their provision of grain. 



It is not a httle surprising to see that the ants 

 bring in not only seeds of large size and fallen grain, 

 but also green capsules, the torn stalks of which 

 show that they have been freshly gathered from the 

 plant. The manner in which they accomplish this 

 feat is as follows. An ant ascends the stem of a 

 fruiting plant, of Shepherd's-purse {CapseJIa Bursa 

 pasforis) let us say, and selects a well-filled but green 

 pod about midway up the stem, those below being ready 

 to shed their seeds at a touch. Then, seizing it in 

 its jaws, and fixing its hind legs firmly as a pivot, 

 it contrives to turn round and round, and so strain 

 the fibres of the fruit-stalk that at length they snap. 

 It then descends the stem, patiently backing and 

 turning upwards again as often as the clumsy and 

 disproportionate burden becomes wedged between the 

 thickly set stalks, and joins the line of its companions 

 on their way to the nest. In this manner capsules of 

 chickweed {Alsine media) and entire calyces, contain- 

 ing the nutlets of Calaminth, are gathered ; two ants 

 also sometimes combine their efforts, when one stations 

 itself near the base of the peduncle and gnaws it at the 

 point of greatest tension, while the other hauls upon 

 and twists it. I have never seen a capsule severed from 

 its stalk by cutting alone, and the mandibles of this ant 

 are perhaps incompetent to perforin such a task. I 

 have occasionally seen ants engaged in cutting the 

 capsules of certain plants droj3 them and allow their 

 companions below to carry them away; and this corre- 



