446 Rev. II. C. McCook on the Architecture and 
may be briefly described as an irregular arrangement of ca¬ 
verns communicating with the surface and with each other by 
tubular galleries. These caverns or pockets were of various 
sizes, 2 feet 10 inches long and less, and 12 inches deep and 
8 inches high and less. Within these chambers were masses 
of a very light delicate leaf-paper wrought into what may 
properly be called “ combs.” Some of the masses were in a 
single hemisphere, filling the central part of the cave; others 
were arranged in columnar masses 2^ inches high, in contact 
along the floor. Some of these columns hung, like a rude 
honeycomb or wasp-nest, from roots which interlaced the cham¬ 
ber. The material was in some cases of a grey tint, in others 
of a leaf-brown. It was all evidently composed of the fibre of 
leaves which had been reduced to this form within the nest, 
probably by the joint action of the mandibles and salivary 
glands. On examination the masses proved to be composed 
of cells of various sizes, irregular in shape, but maintaining 
pretty constantly the hexagon. Some of the cells were half 
an inch in diameter, many one fourth of an inch, most of them 
one eighth of an inch, and quite minute. Large circular 
openings ran into the heart of the mass. Some of the cells 
were one inch deep; they usually narrowed into a funnel-like 
cylinder. Ants in great number, chiefly of the small castes, 
were found within these cells. In the first large cave opened 
were also great numbers of larvae. The material was so 
fragile that it crumbled under even delicate handling; but a 
few specimens of parts of the ant-comb, with entire cells, were 
preserved and exhibited. Reference was made to the late Mr. 
Belt’s opinion that these leaf-paper masses were used as a 
sort of u mushroom garden,” a minute fungus being purposely 
cultivated upon them, which the ants used for food. Mr. 
McCook’s specimens, when submitted to the microscope, did 
indeed show the appearance of such growth, which, however, 
is only what might have been expected under such environ¬ 
ment. The belief was expressed that the ants fed upon the 
juices of the leaves. But (if investigations in progress should 
succeed) it was hoped that the subject of the true food of the 
cutting ant would be hereafter solved. 
5. Tunnelled Tracks .—The ability of these emmet masons 
to excavate vast halls and subterranean avenues is remark¬ 
able. Several holes in the vicinity of Austin were visited, 
out of which u beds ” or nests of ants had been dug, by au 
old man who used to follow the business of ant-killing. 
These holes were nearly as large as the cellar for a small 
house. One such excavation, about three miles from Austin, 
was 12 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep. At the lowest 
