THE nUTTTNa-ANT OF TEXAS!. 243 



left one of my men to guard camp and build a camp- 

 fire, and took another with me carrying a lantern, to 

 the live-oak nest. An amazing change had occurred ; 

 instead of silence and seeming desolation a scene of 

 thronging life and stirring activity was presented. 

 Hosts of ants of various sizes, and in countless numbers, 

 were hurrying out of open gates into the neighboring 

 jungle, and two long double columns were stretched 

 from bottom to top of the overhanging live-oak ; one 

 column ascended, the other descended the tree. The 

 ants in the descending column all carried above their 

 heads portions of green leaves, which waved to and fro 

 and glanced in the lantern light, giving to the moving 

 host a weird look as it mov'ed along. It seemed like a 

 procession of Lilliputian Sabbath-school children bear- 

 ing aloft their banners. It is this habit which has 

 given the insect in some quarters the popular name of 

 the "Parasol Ant." 



" But what could the creatures want with parasols ?" 

 asked Abby, " There was neither sunshine nor rain to 

 protect themselves from ?" 



" We shall see the use of these leaf-cuttings presently. 

 The name parasol is of course based upon a popular 

 fancy, as these ants when seen abroad are usually ac- 

 companied—like that friend of our boyhood, Robinson 

 Crusoe — with their odd-looking umbrella-like append- 

 ages." (Fig. 81.) 



"Do they hold them in their hands?" asked Aunt 

 Hannah. 



" N'o, in their jaws or mandibles ; an odd place to 



