A TOUR THROUGH A TEXAS ANT-HILL. 259 



and salivary glands. The former organs are powerful 

 instruments that readily grind up the leaves, which are 

 kept moist and pliable by the latter organs. This is, in 

 fact, a rude process of paper-making, and it is not sur- 

 prising to find the habit in the ants, since it exists in 

 great perfection among their close relations, the wasps. 

 "On examination, the pulpy masses proved to be 

 composed of cells of various sizes, irregular in shape, 

 but maintaining pretty constantly the hexagon. Some 

 of the cells were half an inch in diameter, many one- 

 fourth inch, most of them one-eighth inch, and cpiite 

 minute. Some were one inch deep, and usually nar- 

 rowed into a funnel-like cylinder. Large circular open- 

 ings penetrated the heart of the columns. Ants in 

 great number, chiefly of the small castes, were found 

 Avithin the cells ; in the first large cave opened Avere 

 also great quantities of larvte." 



" Does thee know what these leaf-combs are used 

 for?" asked Aunt Hannah. 



" I believe that they are the living-rooms of the ants, 

 particularly of the grubs and younglings. The eggs, I 

 think, are deposited within the cells, and are there 

 hatched. The paper is so fragile that it breaks under 

 the most delicate handling, but the ants ran over it 

 with impunity. However, Mr. Belt has started the 

 curious theory that the leaf-paper masses are a sort 

 of mushroom garden, wherein a minute fungus is pur- 

 posely cultivated by the ants for food. That, if true, 

 would certainly show a rare degree of intelligence, 

 though by no means beyond the emmet capacity. I 



