SLAVE-MAKING ANTS. 47 



slaves. In the pine-barrens of New Jersey, 

 which have never been disturbed by man, 

 this species build large cities, often extend- 

 ing over several acres. Scattered around a 

 few feet apart, are mounds from two to three 

 feet high and often from eight to ten feet in 

 diameter, some of which may be centuries 

 old ; the base is nearly as hard as stone, and 

 covered with moss and lichens; radiating 

 underground galleries lead from one to an- 

 other, thus connecting all of the numerous 

 mounds. 



An excellent observer, Mr. Henry Turner, 

 of Cornell University, during his summer 

 vacation made observations of F. rufa, bring- 

 ing me his reports as I did not like to 

 leave the slave-makers long enough to make 

 careful observations on these mound-build- 

 ers; but I made short visits to their city, 

 some two miles distant, to see them repair- 

 ' ing damages done to their mounds, and 110 

 other species of ant ever assisted them in 

 their repairs. 



These ants are fierce and aggressive, if 

 simply disturbed during the working sea- 

 sou, behaving very much like the slave- 

 maker; they always succeeded in driving 

 me from the field in a few moments. But I 

 had the satisfaction of witnessing the Rev. 



