THE YOUNG NATURAXIST. 



7 



THE AGRICULTURAL ANT. 



(Atta malefaciens.) 

 There is a remarkable ant, a native of 

 Texas, which has been described as follows 

 by Dr. Lincecum : — 



"The species which I have named "Agri- 

 cultural," is a large brownish ant. It dwells 

 in what may be termed paved cities, and 

 like a diligent, thrifty, provident farmer, 

 makes suitable and timely arrangements 

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

 I endowed with skill, ingenuity, and untiring 

 I patience, suflScient to enable it to contend 

 I with the varying exigencies which it may 

 i have to encounter in the life-conflict. 



"When it has selected a situation for its 

 I habitation, if on ordinary dry ground, it 

 ; bores a hole, around which it raises the 



surface three and sometimes six inches. I 

 1 forming a low circular mound, having a 

 f very gentle inclination from the centre to 

 outer border, 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 inundation, though the 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, and 

 levels and smooths the surface to a 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. Hav- 

 ing 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 the farm 

 circle to the extent of one or two feet more. 



The cultivated grass grows luxuriently, and 

 produces a heavy crop of small, white, flinty 

 seeds, which under the microscope resemble 

 ordinary rice. When ripe it is carefully 

 harvested and carried by the little workers, 

 chaff and all, into the granary cells, where 

 it is divested of the chaff and packed away, 

 the chaff is taken out and thrown beyond 

 the limits of the paved area. 



" During protracted wet weather it some- 

 times happens that the provision stores 

 become damp and are liable to sprout and 

 spoil. In this case, on the first day, the 

 ants bring out the damp and damaged 

 grain and expose it to the sun till it is day, 

 when they carry it back and pack away all 

 the sound seed, leaving those that had 

 sprouted, to waste. 



" In a peach orchard, not far from my 

 house, is a considerable elevation, on which 

 is an extensive bed of rock. In the sand 

 beds, overlaying portions of this rock, are 

 fine cities of the Agricultural Ants, evidently 

 very ancient. My observations on their 

 manners and customs have been limited to 

 the last twelve years, during which time the 

 inclosure surrounding the orchard has pre- 

 vented the approach of cattle to the Ant 

 farms. The cities which are outside the 

 enclosure, as well as those protected in it, 

 are at the proper season invariably planted 

 with ant-rice. The .crop may accordingly 

 always be seen springing up within the 

 the circle about the ist of November in 

 every year. Of late years, however, since 

 the number of farms and cattle has greatly 

 increased, and the latter are eating off the 

 grass much closer than formerly, thus pre- 

 venting the ripening of the seeds, I notice 

 that the Agricultural Ant is placing its 

 cities along the twin-rows in the fields, walks 

 in gardens, inside about the gate, &c., where 

 they can cultivate their farms without 

 molestation from the cattle." — Extracted Jrom 

 Letter to Mr. Darwin, published in the Journal 

 of the Linnean Society. ■ • 



