AGKICULTURAL ANTS. 371 



of three or four feet from the gate of the city, giving the space 

 the appearance of a handsome pavement, as it really is. 



" Within this paved area, not a blade of any green thing is 

 allowed to grow, except a single species of grain-hearing grass. 

 Having planted this crop in a circle around, and two or three 

 feet from the centre of the mound, the insect tends and cultivates 

 it with constant care, cutting away all other grasses and weeds 

 that may spring up amongst it, and all around outside the farm- 

 circle to the extent of one or two feet more. The cultivated 

 grass grows luxuriantly, and produces a heavy crop of small, 

 white, flinty seeds, which under the microscope very closely 

 resemble ordinary rice. Wlien ripe, it is carefully harvested 

 and carried by the workers, chaff and all, into the granary cells, 

 where it is divested of the chaff and packed away. The chaff is 

 taken out and thrown beyond the limits of the paved area. 



" During protracted wet weather, it sometimes happens that 

 the provision-stores become damp, and are liable to sprout and 

 spoil. In this case, on the first fine day, the ants bring out the 

 damp and damaged grain, and expose it to the sun till it is drj', 

 when they carry it back and pack away all the sound seeds, 

 leaving those that had sprouted to waste. 



" In a peach orchard not far from my house is a considerable 

 elevation, on which is an extensive bed of rock. In the sand-beds 

 overlying portions of this rock are fine cities of the Agricultural 

 Ants, evidently very ancient. My observations on their manners 

 and customs have been limited to the last twelve years, during 

 which time the inclosure surrounding the orchard has prevented 

 the approach of cattle to the ant-farms. The cities which are 

 outside the inclosure, as well as those protected in it, are at the 

 proper season invariably planted with the ant-rice. The crop 

 may accordingly always be seen springing up within the circle 

 about the 1st of November every year. Of late years, however, 

 since the number of farms and cattle has greatly increased, and 

 the latter are eating off the grass much closer than formerly, thus 

 preventing the ripening of the seeds, I notice that the Agricultural 

 Ant is placing its cities along the turn-rows in the fields, walks 

 in gardens, inside about the gates, &c., where they can cultivate 

 their farms without molestation from the cattle. 



" There can be no doubt that the particular species of grain- 

 bearing grass mentioned above is intentionally planted. In 



B B 2 



