445 
Habits of the Cutting Ant of Texas. 
minent spines on the edge ot this furrow and on the prothorax. 
J he furrow and spines thus appear to serve a very useful end. 
The cutting and carrying were not done (so far as noted) by 
the smaller castes. The soldiers rarely engaged in this work, 
but were seen to precede the excursion columns as they moved 
out and up the tree, and afterward to return, as though en¬ 
gaged as scouts or pioneers. 
The principal leaves gathered at Camp Wright were tiiose 
or the live-oak. The young saplings in the neighbourhood 
ot the mound were in great part or entirely defoliated. The 
great tree above was in parts stripped to the very top; so also 
was some wild vine unknown to the author. In beginning 
work, the cutters seem to aim first at the topmost leaves. A nest 
on the grounds of an intelligent nurseryman and gardener near 
Austin was visited; and from the proprietor many facts were 
learned. Ants were here seen at work late in the afternoon. 
They had come up through the garden from the formicary, 
300 feet distant. They prefer trees with a smooth leaf; are 
severe upon grapes, peaches, the China tree, radishes, take 
celery, beets, young corn and wheat, plum, pomegranate, 
honeysuckle, cape-jessamine, crape myrtle, althaea. They do 
not like lettuce, will not take the paper mulberry, nor figs and 
cedar, except the bud-ends in the scant days of winter. They 
love sugar, grain, and tobacco ! This proprietor assured Mr. 
McCook that the ants made foraging excursions into his 
house, entered his desk-drawers, and carried away a portion 
of his chewing-tobacco before he discovered the robbery. He 
had to be very careful thereafter where he deposited the delec¬ 
table weed. Mr. McCook saw at another plantation an im¬ 
mense column engaged'in plundering a granary of wheat, 
which Avas being carried away to the nest. 
4. Interior Architecture. —The use of this leaf material, in 
part at least, was unfolded Avhen the work of excavation 
began. Two trenches Avere made, one 10 feet long, 5 feet 
deep, and a second at right angles to it and wide enough to 
alloAV free entrance and study. The number of insects that 
swarmed to the defence of their home is simply amazing. 
They were, hoAvever, not so difficult to manage as sometimes 
when disturbed at their night work, as the swift use of the 
spade by the assistants and the general convulsion of their 
emmet Avorld quite dazed most of them. HoAvever, when the 
speaker himself entered the trench to Avork Avith troAvel, knife, 
rule, &c. the ants rallied, and attacked so fiercely that the 
men were compelled to brush them off. The Avound inflicted 
by them Avas sharp, but nothing to compare with the severe 
sting of the agricultural ant. The interior of the formicary 
