—a ee |) 
Miscellaneous. 387 
are above an ant-den, the inference was, that those Cutting Ants seen 
in the garden belonged to the tribe across the river. 
The question will naturally arise, how is it possible for them to 
direct their course in digging those long underground passages so as 
to reach the surface at the wished-for spot? Let those who ask also 
answer. I only know that such long avenues exist, having thrust a 
long stick into one at the bottom of one of their dens, and I have also 
seen the outer openings of many of them on the banks of rivers and 
streams, where food can easily be had from the trees and bushes 
usually found growing on the banks of streams in all prairie lands. 
At the large ant-den in Austin, before spoken of, millions of 
working ants, and bushels of eggs and larve, with great numbers of 
males and females, were destroyed. As soon as the large apartment 
containing the eggs, larvee, and winged ants was found, a fire was 
kindled forthwith amongst them, for which purpose light combustible 
stuff was kept near. The pupa-cases were of different sizes, belonging 
to opposite sexes, and were in a more or less advanced stage of 
development. The workers at first are very small, scarcely a line 
in length. The eggs, mixed with minute young ants, were in a soft, 
grey, spongy substance, apparently leaves finely triturated and mixed 
with an animal secretion. 
It is said they sometimes abandon their caves when from long re- 
sidence the chambers become filthy, or perhaps they are injured from 
heavy rains, or it may be that the ants desire a better situation for 
provender. Whatever may be the cause, they have been known to 
emigrate en masse, and after making new excavations, and dwelling 
in them a few years, to return again to their first residence. It is 
probable that they have a division of labour ; some nurse the young, 
and others provide food. In one instance I saw one cut off a seg- 
ment of an elm-leaf, and another seized it as soon as cut, and carried 
it away ; but generally I have noticed that he who cuts also carries. 
When cutting, one mandible is inserted and carried slowly along, 
the head swaying to and fro, and the other mandible moving its 
sharp point, apparently breaking the surface to lessen the thickness 
to be cut by the other. 
The ant often stands on the part of the leaf which he is cutting 
off, but he is careful to remove to a firm place before it is finally se- 
vered ; which done, he seizes one edge of it with his mandibles, and 
with a rapid movement throws it on his head and thorax, so that its 
lower edge rests between the lobes of the head and the spines of the 
thorax, and the upper edge is aloft. Away he goes, and joins the 
busy throng in the main path, which looks as if the ants had a gala 
day and were marching with banners flying. Lately, on the banks 
of the Colorado River, near Austin, I saw multitudes of ants in their 
path, going uphill with fragments of leaves and hack-berries(Ce/tis), 
some entire, and others with a small portion cut off to render them 
lighter and suitable to be carried by the smaller ants. The place at 
which they entered the ground was about 6 feet from the top of the 
bank. This pathway was steep, and even perpendicular for a di- 
stance of 5 or 6 inches at a place about 1 foot below their doorway. 
