A TOUR THROUGH A TEXAS ANT-HILL. 265 



tination, as do the fixmous underground railways of Lon- 

 don. Besides this main way which I haved escribed, there 

 were two branch tunnels which deflected from the 

 trunk-line near the country road, in order to gain en- 

 trance to a peach orchard one hundred and twenty feet 

 distant." 



"How did you trace these tunnels ?" asked Penn. 

 "It must have been an immense work to dig after 

 them." 



" The work had been done by the planter, who, de- 

 termined to exterminate the nest, had traced it up with 

 the help of laborers. Much of the way was actually 

 dug out, and the trench was visible when I visited the 

 place. As to the rest, it was only necessary to sink 

 holes here and there along the estimated course, and 

 when the tunnel was struck, take another bearing. 

 The nest was finally reached, and the great pit was 

 there to show how extensive the colony had l)een. 



" In view of such observations as these, I am quite 

 prepared to believe the story related by Dr. Lincecum, 

 who long observed the habits of the cutting-ants in 

 Texas, that they on one occasion tunneled heneeUh a 

 stream in order to reach a garden that lay on the 

 opposite side. There is one other remarkal)le habit 

 which I observed before the mound nest near my 

 camp had been destroyed. It relates to the opening 

 and shutting of the gates which communicate with the 

 interior. I soon found that dooi's were opened and 

 closed before and after every exit from the nest. The 

 process is a long, careful, and complicated one." 



