72 TWO CHAPTERS ON ANTS. 



for assistance. And I specially wish to ac- 

 knowledge the kindness of iny friends Rev. 

 Mr. Pittenger and Rev. Mr. Harrison, the 

 former for help in anatomical investigations, 

 and the latter for ascertaining the depth 

 of the red strata of earth in which the ants 

 were mining. 



II. 



THE HARVESTING-ANTS OF FLORIDA. 



IN the low pine -barrens of Florida are 

 large districts thickly dotted over with 

 small mounds made by a species of ant 

 whose habits are unknown to the scientific 

 world. Each mound is surrounded by a 

 circle of small chips and pieces of charcoal, 

 which the busy inhabitants often bring from 

 a long distance. The hills are regular in 

 outline, with a crater-like depression on the 

 summit, in the centre of which is the gate- 

 way or entrance. 



These ants do not live in vast communi- 

 ties like the mound-builders of the North, 

 but each hill seems to be a republic by it- 

 self, though separate colonies in the same 

 neighborhood have friendly relations with 



