56 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 



is very warm the cutting is discontinued during the day 

 and carried on in the evening and at night. 



Still more remarkable are the "Harvesting Ants," 

 which are found scattered in various parts of the world. 

 They clear an ample disk around their houses, removing 

 everything and pack it down hard and smooth. From 

 this several main roads diverge which narrow as they 

 recede. From these main roads are side lanes less care- 

 fully constructed which lead into the harvest field. The 

 road broadens as it approaches the house, for the obvious 

 reason that as the ants come pouring in from these side 

 cuts with their freight the numbers continually increase, 

 and a constantly widening avenue is required to accom- 

 modate them. These ants lay up stores of seeds in large 

 underground granaries for future use. The most 

 astonishing thing in connection with this habit is that 

 they have found out a way to prevent the germination 

 of the seeds. As they are kept in storehouses under 

 ground and near the surface of the soil, they would 

 inevitably sprout unless prevented. Their germinating 

 powers is not destroyed, for Moggridge planted seeds 

 taken from the nest and produced fall crops with them. 

 If the ants are removed from the nest they will germinate 

 in due time. It was at one time supposed that the ants 

 emitted an odor which checked their growth. To test 

 this some seeds were placed so that the ants could not 

 come in contact with them, although still exposed to 

 their exhalations and the seeds sprouted readily. If 

 they become too damp they are brought to the surface 

 and dried by exposure to the air. If an occasional one 

 does germinate the ants with wonderful intelligence 

 have discovered that the most effectual mode of stopping 

 it is by gnawing off the tips of the radicals. It is still a 

 mystery how they preserve this food without spoiling. 

 I suppose their granaries must be made to keep as dry as 

 possible, and then they must stir the seeds frequently. 



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