296 General Notes. [March 
from a neighboring rat-hole, and concluded to watch the move- 
ments of the veteran. After a careful survey of the surround- 
ings, our old rodent seemed to be satisfied that all was right and 
made a cautious exit from the home retreat. A fresh pan of 
water had been recently placed before the chicken-coop for the 
use of Mother “Chick” and her interesting brood. These all 
no poisonous or other deleterious matter, she gave a couple of 
squeaks, which quickly brought her young and thirsty brood to 
her side, and all fearlessly drank to their fill. Now, this old mother 
life the thought would keep coming, Does not this look very 
like reason?—¥ Croll Baum, 630 N. Broad St., Phila., Pa. 
Ants and Sunflowers.—While riding out, one day in July 
last, over the prairies north of Kirwin, Phillips County, Kansas, 
my attention was attracted by a number of ant-hills surrounded 
by sunflowers. closer examination showed that the hills were: 
inhabited by a large red ant, one-half to th ree-quarters of an inch 
long. Their hills were only two or three inches high and from 
one to two feet in diameter, but for a radius of two to four feet 
around each hill every particle of vegetation was cleared off, and 
around the outside of this cleared space grew a single row of 
ao affording considerable shade to the circular court 
within, < 
