AGRICULTURAL ANTS. 



his legs, biting fiercely with their powerful jaws, and injecting 

 poison into the wound. The only plan of action in such a case, 

 is, to run away at top speed until the main body are too far off 

 to renew the attack, and then to destroy the ants that are already 

 in action. This is no easy task, for the fierce little insects drive 

 their hooked mandibles so deeply into the flesh that they are 

 generally removed piecemeal, the head retaining its hold after 

 the body has been pulled away, and the mandibles clasped so 

 tightly that they must be pinched from the head and detached 

 separately. 



There seems to be scarcely a creature which these insects 

 will not attack, and they will even go out of their way to fall 

 upon the nests of the large and formidable wasps of that 

 country. For the thousand stings the ants care not a jot, but 

 tear away the substance of their nest with their powerful jaws, 

 penetrate into the interior, break down the cells, and drag out 

 the helpless young. Should they meet an adult wasp, they fall 

 upon it, and cut it to pieces in a moment. 



I HAVE intentionally reserved the last place among the 

 builders for an insect which is certainly the most wonderful of 

 tliem all ; not only raising an edifice, but clearing a space 

 around, and preparing it for a garden. This insect is called by 

 Dr. Lincecum, the discoverer of its habits, the Agricultural 

 Ant, and its scientific name is Atia nialefaciens. As the 

 reader will perceive, it is allied to the parasol ant, which has 

 been already described. 



This remarkable insect is a native of Texas, and until a few 

 years ago, its singular habits were unknown. Dr. Lincecum, 

 however, wrote a long and detailed account to Mr. Darwin, 

 who made an abstract of it, and read the paper before the 

 Linnean Society, April i8th, 1861. This abstract may be 

 found in the Journal of that Society, and is as follows :— 



' The species which I have named " Agricultural " is a large, 

 brownish ant. It dwells in what may be termed paved cities, 

 and like a thrifty, diligent, provident farmer, makes suitable 



