NATURE'S CRAFTSMEN 



they are said to clear away the dry stalks in order to 

 make way for a new crop. It is this that justifies the 

 reputation of Barbatus as a farmer. She has not been 

 seen— so far as the author knows — sowing the seeds, 

 but she permits them to grow upon her formicary 

 bounds, and afterwards utilizes the product. 



The extent to which the Aristida is preserved appear- 

 ed by a glance over the landscape. On all sides one saw 

 circular belts of that grass rising above and easily dis- 

 tinguished by its yellowish stalks and blades from the 

 prevalent surrounding herbage, and exactly marking the 

 sites of formicaries on which they stood. No other 

 plant was tolerated. The belts were as sharply marked 

 as fields of Indian-corn in the midst of meadows or 

 wheat - fields. About one - third of the formicaries in 

 sight were thus covered. The Aristida is thus a " raised " 

 crop in the sense that it is exclusively permitted. 



If the gathering, threshing, and storing of seeds war- 

 rant the name ''agricultural," our Barbati have a clear 

 title thereto. To make a proof of this, let us direct 

 attention upon this large nest. From its border on all 

 sides radiate roads as smooth and clear as the disk 

 itself. There are seven of them (the number is com- 

 monly less), of varying lengths, one over three hundred 

 feet long, forking towards the point where it is lost in 

 the wild grass. All are much wider where they enter 

 the disk. Standing by one of these roads, we see a 

 double column of ants hurrying along, one outward 

 bound and unladen, the other home-bound and carrying 

 seeds of various kinds, mostly of buffalo-grass (Buchloe 

 dactyloides) . We must play footpad in the interest of 

 science and rob some of the grain-bearers. A light tap 

 upon the back causes the little carrier to drop her 



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