7574 Insects. 



Strange Habits of Bees in Peru. — Mr. Sandison, son of the Rev. Mr. Saiidison of 

 this place, sends the following interesting fact in Nalural History from Arequiperu, 

 Peru : — "A few years ago a German got out a few hives of bees, an insect formerly 

 unknown here. The first year he obtained a plentiful supply of honey, but year by 

 year it decreased, until now the animals will hardly collect any. And why ? Our 

 climate is so equable that flowers can be had all the year round ; and the sagacious 

 animals, having discovered this fact, have evidently lost the instinct of hoarding honey 

 for a winter that never comes." — Brechin Advertiser. 



Agricultural Ants.* — The first letter was dated Long Point, Texas, December 29, 

 1860. The species of Formica which Mr. Lincecum named "agricultural" was 

 stated to be a large brownish red ant, dwelling in paved cities, a farmer, thrifty and 

 healthy, and diligent and thoughtful, making suitable and timely arrangements for the 

 changing seasons. When he selects a situation upon which to locate a city, if on 

 ordinarily dry land he bores a hole, and surrounds it with a low circular mound three 

 or sometimes six inches high, its outer limits three to four feet from the entrance. 

 But if the location is on low flat land liable to inundation, though the ground may be 

 perfectly dry when he does the work, he elevates his mound in a sharp cone to the 

 height of fifteen or twenty inches, sometimes even more, and places the entrance near 

 the apex. Around this he clears the ground of all obstacles, and levels and smooths 

 the surface to the distance of three or four feet from the gate of the city. Ou this 

 space not a spire of any green thing is permitted to grow, except a single species 

 of grain-bearing grass, which, having planted, he nurses and cultivates with constant 

 care, cutting away all other grasses and weeds that may spring up. The cultivated 

 grass grows luxuriantly, producing a heavy crop of small white flinty seeds, which 

 under the microscope very much resembles the rice of commerce. When it gets ripe 

 it is carefully harvested and carried by the workers, chafl" and all, into the granary 

 cells, where it is divested of the chafi' and packed away, the chafl" being taken out and 

 thrown beyond the limits of the cleared space. In wet weather these stores are liable 

 to become damp, and to sprout and spoil; and if this occurs they bring them out to 

 dry on the first fair day, carrying back all the sound seeds, and leaving the sprouted 

 ones to waste. Mr. Lincecum stated that in the sand beds overlying portions of rock 

 in his peach orchard there were five cities of these agricultural ants — evidently quite 

 ancient cities — which he had observed for twelve years. The cities were invariably 

 planted at the proper season with ant rice, and it was accordingly seen springing up 

 in the farm circle every year about the 1st of November. He maintained that there 

 can be no doubt of the fact that the peculiar grain-bearing grass was intentionally 

 planted. In a subsequent letter, dated March 4, 1861, replying to this question from 

 Mr. Darwin : "Do you suppose the ants plant seeds for the ensuing crop?" Mr. 

 Lincecum replies: — "I have not the slightest doubt of it. I have at all seasons 

 watched the same ant cities during the last twelve years. I visited the same cities 

 yesterday, and found the crop of ant rice growing finely, exhibiting the signs of high 

 cultivation." " We have," he continues, " not only agricultural ants in Texas, but a 

 species that is a regular horticulturist. These plant with shade-trees the mounds 

 of sand thrown out from their cells and extensive tunnels. They cannot stand our 

 summer sun, nor travel over the unshaded plains to bring in provision, and hence the 



* Extracts from letters addressed by Gideon Lincecum, Esq., to Charles Darwiu, 

 Esq., 011 the habit of the agricultural ant of Texas. 



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