254 APPENDIX. 



This it then takes and adds to the garden. So well is the 

 kneading performed that no single cell remains uninjured, 

 and it was observed that the hyphse of the fungus grew 

 through and round one of these particles within a few 

 hours. Belt supposed that this process was performed 

 by the small workers above-mentioned, but it is not so, as 

 we have just seen. The small workers perform the function 

 of weeding the garden, and this is so well done that a 

 portion of it removed and grown in a nutrient solution 

 gives a perfectly pure culture, not even containing bacteria ! 



In the course of these investigations it was found that 

 somewhat similar fungus gardens occur in the nests of the 

 hairy ant, Apterostigma, but the fungus appeared to belong 

 to a different genus, and the hairy ants, who live in decaying 

 wood and have small gardens built of bits of wood-fibre, 

 bettle-dung, etc., have not succeeded in cultivating and 

 selecting Kohl-rabi to the same high degree. An allied 

 genus of ants, Cyphomyrmex, were also found to be fungus- 

 growers. 



This elaborate study, which is illustrated by beautiful 

 plates and photographs of the mushroom gardens, constitutes, 

 as Mr. Willis (whose summary has here been followed) 

 remarks, one of the most fascinating contributions to our 

 knowledge of mycology and of animal industries which 

 have been made for many years. 



