118 HYMENOPTERA. 



Texas (Pogonomyrmex Barbatus, Smith), a reddish-brown species 

 about half an inch long, with a long reddish beard on the face. 

 Its habits have been studied by Lincecum, Buckley, and M'Cook, 

 the last of whom has written an elaborate monograph on the 

 species and its habits. The formicary is established on a spot well 

 exposed to the sun, and a circular clearing is made around it, often 

 of from ten to twelve feet in diameter, and frequently paved with 

 small pebbles, upon which no weeds are allowed to grow. Smooth 

 and level roads are also made through the thickets of weeds beyond 

 the clearing, and Lincecum describes one over 300 feet long, which 

 traversed 60 feet of thick weeds, overran heavy beds of crop 

 grass 180 feet, and then through the weeds growing in the locks 

 of a heavy rail fence 60 feet more. Throughout the whole 

 extent this road was very smooth and even, and varied from a 

 straight line only so far as to lose some thirty feet of distance in 

 passing from the pavement to the outer terminus. The width was 

 from two to two and a half inches. In some places, on account 

 of insurmountable obstructions, the road separated into two or 

 three trails of an inch in width, which united beyond the obstruc- 

 tion. M'Cook remarks that, at a moderate computation, such a 

 road "would be equivalent to the construction and maintenance 

 by man of a good hard road ten miles long and twenty-two feet 

 wide." 



Along these roads the ants pass to and fro, carrying into their 

 nests various kinds of grass-seeds, which are cleansed from the husk, 

 and stored up in the manner of Attce. But there is not always 

 an empty clearing round the ant-hill. The space is sometimes 

 more or less overgrown with a grass called Aristida Oligantha, the 

 seed of which forms part of the ordinary stores of the ants ; and 

 it is conjectured that the ants actually sow and harvest the crop 

 of this particular grass for their own requirements. This ant does 

 not gather the seeds until they have fallen, although the European 

 Atta Barlata, and the Floridan Atta Crudelis, Smith, have been 

 observed gathering growing seeds and seed-capsules on the plants 

 themselves. 



The description of the nests, habits,"structure, etc., of the Agri- 

 cultural Ant is too long to quote, but a few more interesting points 

 may be mentioned. The ants do not feed on grain alone, but 

 hasten to gather up other insects, such as winged termites, after a 

 heavy shower of rain has beaten them down to the ground. But, 

 though they sometimes profit by rain, it adds to their labours, for, 



