852 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [Vor. XXXIV. 
Fabr, and A. Mölleri Forel). Möller has described how 
the ants cut and bring the large pieces of leaves into their 
cellars, then cut them into smaller fragments, and finally com- 
Fic. 1.— Mush len of Atta fervens Say. 
5 
minute these still further till they form a flocculent greenish- 
brown pulp! This pulp is heaped up and soon becomes invaded 
1 Atta fervens, like other species of the genus, is not fastidious in its choice of 
the material to be used as a soil for its gardens. Almost any vegetable substance 
will answer this purpose. In October, 1899, I saw a colony busily engaged col- 
lecting caterpillar excrement which had dropped from the overhanging foliage of 
a large sycamore. Several months later I found a large colony near the same 
spot marching in long procession, conveying big grains of cracked corn which 
