AGRICULTURAL ANTS. 221 
his legs, biting fiercely with their powerful jaws, and injecting 
poison into the wound. The only plan of action in such a case, 
is, to run away at top speed until the main body are too far off 
to renew the attack, and then to destroy the ants that are already 
in action. This is no easy task, for the fierce little insects drive 
their hooked mandibles so deeply into the flesh that they are 
generally removed piecemeal, the head retaining its hold after 
the body has been pulled away, and the mandibles clasped so 
tightly that they must be pinched from the head and detached 
separately. 
There seems to be scarcely a creature which these insects 
will not attack, and they will even go out of their way to fall 
upon the nests of the large and formidable wasps of that 
country. For the thousand stings the ants care not a jot, but 
tear away the substance of their nest with their powerful jaws, 
penetrate into the interior, break down the cells, and drag out 
the helpless young. Should they meet an adult wasp, they fall 
upon it, and cut it to pieces in a moment. 
I have intentionally reserved the last place among the 
builders for an insect which is certainly the most wonderful of 
them all ; not only raising an edifice, but clearing a space 
around, and preparing it for a garden. This insect is called by 
Dr. Lincecum, the discoverer of its habits, the Agricultural 
Ant, and its scientific name is Atta malefaciens . As the 
reader will perceive, it is allied to the parasol ant, which has 
been already described. 
This remarkable insect is a native of Texas, and until a few 
years ago, its singular habits were unknown. Dr. Lincecum, 
however, wrote a long and detailed account to Mr. Darwin, 
who made an abstract of it, and read the paper before the 
Linnean Society, April 18th, 1861. This abstract may be 
found in the Journal of that Society, and is as follows 
‘ The species which I have named “ Agricultural ” is a large, 
brownish ant. It dwells in what may be termed paved cities, 
and like a thrifty, diligent, provident farmer, makes suitable 
