Idle Days. 139 
minute fungus; this the ant industriously gathers 
and stores for use, and when the artificial bed is 
exhausted the withered leaves are carried out to 
make room for a layer of fresh ones. Thus the 
(icodoma literally grows its own food, and in this 
respect appears to have reached a stage beyond the 
most highly developed ant communities hitherto 
described. Another interesting fact is that, al- 
though the leaf-cutters have a peaceful disposition, 
never showing resentment except when gratuitously 
interfered with, they are just as courageous as any 
purely predatory species, only their angry emotions 
and warlike qualities always appear to be dominated 
by reason and the public good. Occasionally a 
community of leaf-cutters goes to war with a neigh- 
bouring colony of ants of some other species ; in 
this, as in everything else, they seem to act with a 
definite purpose and great deliberation. Wars are 
infrequent, but in all those I have witnessed—and I 
have known this species from childhood—the fate 
of the nation is decided in one great pitched battle. 
A spacious bare level spot of ground is chosen, 
where the contending armies meet, the fight raging 
for several hours at a stretch, to be renewed on 
several consecutive days. The combatants, equally 
sprinkled over a wide area, are seen engaged in 
single combat or in small groups, while others, non- 
fighters, run briskly about removing the dead and 
disabled warriors from the field of battle. 
Perhaps some reader, who has made the acquaint- 
ance of nature in a London square, will smile at my 
