DR. LINCECUM ON THE " AGRICULTURAL AJTT. ( ' ' 



29 



Notice on the Habits of the "Agricultural Ant" of Texas 

 ["Stinging Ant" or " Mound-making Ant," Myrmica {Attn) 

 malefaciens, Buckley]. By Gtdeon Llncecum, Esq., M.D. 

 Communicated by Charles Darwin, Esq., F.E.S., F.L.S. 



[Read April 18, 1861.] 



The following is merely an abstract of Dr. Lincecum's communi- 

 cation, containing only what appears to be most remarkable and 

 novel in it in the way of observation. 



"The species which I have named' Agricultural,' is a large brown- 

 ish Ant. It dwells in what may be termed paved cities, and, like 

 a thrifty, diligent, provident farmer, makes suitable and timely 

 arrangements for the changing seasons. It is, in short, endowed 

 with skill, ingenuity, and untiring patience sufficient to enable it 

 successfully to contend with the varying exigencies which it may 

 have to encounter in the life-conflict. 



" When it has selected a situation for its habitation, if on ordi- 

 nary dry ground, it bores a hole, around which it raises the sur- 

 face three and sometimes six inches, forming a low circular mound 

 having a very gentle inclination from the centre to the outer bor- 

 der, which on an average is three or four feet from the entrance. 

 But if the location is chosen on low, flat, wet land liable to inun- 

 dation, though fhe ground may be perfectly dry at the time the 

 ant sets to work, it nevertheless elevates the mound, in the form 

 of a pretty sharp cone, to the height of fifteen to twenty inches or 

 more, and makes the entrance near the summit. Around the 

 mound in either case the ant clears the ground of all obstructions, 

 levels and smooths the surface to the distance of three or four 

 feet from the gate of the city, giving the space the appearance of 

 a handsome pavement, as it really is. Within this paved area not 

 a blade of any green thing is allowed to grow, except a single 

 species of grain-bearing grass. Having planted this crop in a 

 circle around, and two or three feet from, the centre of the mound, 

 the insect tends and cultivates it with constant care, cutting away 

 all other grasses and weeds that may spring up amongst it and all 

 around outside of the farm-circle to the extent of one or two feet 

 more. The cultivated grass grows luxuriantly, and produces a 

 heavy crop of small, white, flinty seeds, which under the microscope 

 very closely resemble ordinary rice. When ripe, it is carefully 

 harvested, and carried by the workers, chaff and all, into the 

 granary cells, where it is divested of the chaff and packed away. 



