HARVESTTNG ANTS. 27 



would have to be rapidly consumed at stated periods 

 and to be frequently renewed ; but this is not the case. 

 This is easily shown by an examination of the seeds 

 contained in the nests in April or May, many of which 

 will prove to belong to plants which fruit in the autumn 

 and are not to be found later than November. Thus, for 

 example, on May 5th at Cannes, I discovered nutlets of 

 C^no^Iossum jnrtinii, which can scarcely have been col- 

 lected later than the preceding October or November. 

 Besides, during the time from the middle of January 

 to the middle of ]\Iarch, scarcely a seed is collected 

 under ordinary circumstances, there being extremely 

 few wild plants in fruit at that season, and yet the 

 granaries will be found well filled if a nest is opened 

 at the end of this period. 



A knowledge of the fact that ants in warm climates 

 accumulate large and very varied stores of seeds re- 

 taining their power of germination, might at times be 

 of service to travellers, by enabling them to obtain, 

 by a stroke or two of the spade, an interesting col- 

 lection of the seeds and the seed-like fruits of the 

 country, when time and opportunity failed for ob- 

 taining them in a more satisfactory manner. The 

 following list of plants, the grain, seeds, and small 

 dry fruits of which I have found in the subter- 

 ranean granaries of Atta structor and A. barbara, es- 

 pecially the latter, shows that the ants probably col- 

 lect almost indiscriminately from any fruiting plant 

 that falls in their way. 



Fumitory {Fumaria, three species), honeywort 

 {Alyssum maritivium), narrow-leaved sun rose {Fumaria 

 viscida and F.Spac/iii), Oxalis corniculata, 8ilene,Linum 

 gallicum, mallow {Lavatera crefica ?), mQdi\Qk{Medica(^o), 



