62 AGRICULTURAL ANTS. 
ants were first noticed by Mr. Buckley,' and their’ 
habits were some time afterwards described in more 
detail by Dr. Lincecum,” who maintained not only that 
the ground was carefully cleared of all other species of 
plants, but that this yrass was intentionally cultivated 
by the ants. Mr. McCook,’ by whom this subject has 
been recently studied, fully confirms Dr. Lincecum 
that the disks are kept carefully clean, that the ant, 
rice alone is permitted to grow on them, and that the 
produce of this crop is carefully harvested; but he 
thinks that the ant rice sows itself, and is not actually 
cultivated by the ants. I have myself observed in 
Algeria, that certain species of plants are allowed by the 
ants to grow on their nests. 
1 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1860. 
2 Linnean Journal, 1861, p. 29. 
® The Nat. Hist. of the Agricultwral Ants of Tewas, p. 88 
