676 Bulletin American Mnsemn of Natural History. [\o\. XXIII, 



these ants he would soon have discovered that these soldiers have a very 

 important function to perform in the active defence of their fellow ants. 



Lincecum in 1867 recorded a number of observations on Atta texana 

 which, like his other publications on ants, are a strange jumble of truth and 

 fiction. He states rather positively that this ant eats the vegetable sub- 

 stances which it collects. "In my observations on the habits of the cutting 

 ants, I have not discovered them eating anything besides the foliage of 

 various plants. Neither have I ever noticed them carrying anything else 

 into their cities. Professor S. B. Buckley, who is a very close and accurate 

 observer [sic!] states that he saw them carrying hackberries (Celtis occi- 

 dentalis) and that they eat insects, tumble bugs, etc.. . .From the immense 

 quantities of leaves collected by them during the autumnal months, which 

 are carefully sun-dried and taken into the city, I should feel at a loss to say, 

 if they are not intended for winter food, wiiat other use they can put such 

 quantities of leaves to; and furthermore, when it is known to be the kind 

 of food upon which they subsist." It is interesting to note that while Lince- 

 cum overlooked the marvellous fungus-raising habits of Atta texana he 

 nevertheless attributed to them certain horticultural interests : " The cutting- 

 ants plant seeds of various trees, vines and other plants. When they locate 

 a city in a bald prairie, which is often the case, where they cannot procure 

 the seeds of trees, they cultivate the prickly poppy {Argemone Mexicana) 

 the most appropriate plant for their purpose that grows in the prairie .... 

 When the ants locate a city on some sunny point near the timbered lands, 

 they do not plant the poppy, but appear to prefer certain trees and vines 

 for shade. For this purpose they plant the seeds of the prairie dogwood 

 (Viburnum dentatum), Yopon {Ilex vomitoria), Hackberry tree (Celtis 

 occidentalis), Gum elastic tree (Bumelia lycioides), the mustang grape (Vitis 

 Texana), Cocculus Carolina and occasionally the prickly ash (Xanthoxylum 

 fraxinum)." While there can be little doubt that various herbs, shrubs, 

 or even trees may spring up from the seeds collected and dropped by the 

 ants on the soil of their nests, it is absurd to say that such seeds are actually 

 planted with an awareness that they will ultimately grow and produce shade. 

 Lincecum here repeats the error which he promulgated in regard to the 

 harvesting ants of Texas (Pogonomyrmex moJejaciens). 



Norton (1868) gave a good general description of the ISIexican Atta 

 fervens, but made no observations on its fungus gardens. 



In 1870 B. R.Townsend studied A. texana at Austin, Texas. Concern- 

 ing the leaves collected by this ant he says: "These leaves are conveyed 

 through these underground passages to their homes and deposited in one of 

 their chambers, and, I presume, they secrete some substance that they put 

 with the leaves, for if a handful of the leaves is taken in the hand and squeezed. 



