. Ants; their structure, development and behavior. the hard,rough or spinose integument must afford efficient protection from alienants and other enemies. The Attii are such conspicuous, abundant and destructive insects intropical America that we arc not surprised to find an extensive litera-ture on their taxonomy and habits. The latter have been described byBuckley (1860), Bates (1863), Lincecum (1867), Norton (1868), Townsend (1870), Belt (1874), McCook (18790, 18796), Morris THE FUNGUS-GROWING ANTS. 32: (1880), Brent (1886), Tanner (1892), Moeller (1893), von Ihering(1894, 1898), Urich
. Ants; their structure, development and behavior. the hard,rough or spinose integument must afford efficient protection from alienants and other enemies. The Attii are such conspicuous, abundant and destructive insects intropical America that we arc not surprised to find an extensive litera-ture on their taxonomy and habits. The latter have been described byBuckley (1860), Bates (1863), Lincecum (1867), Norton (1868), Townsend (1870), Belt (1874), McCook (18790, 18796), Morris THE FUNGUS-GROWING ANTS. 32: (1880), Brent (1886), Tanner (1892), Moeller (1893), von Ihering(1894, 1898), Urich ( 18950, 18956), Swingle (1896), Forel (i&)6a-c,1897, 1899-1900, 1901), Sampaio (1894), Goeldi (19050 and b, Forel1905) and J. Huber (1905). I have recently reviewed these authorsin a paper on the North American Attii ( 1907*;), to which the readeris referred for many details that cannot be given in this chapter. The first important observations on these insects were published byBelt in his interesting volume, The Naturalist in Nicaragua. He. FIG. 189. Mycetosoritis harhnani of Texas. (Original.) a. Worker, dorsal view ; b, same in profile ; c, male. was the first to surmise the use to which the leaves, etc., are put byAtta ceplialotes, concerning which he writes: Notwithstanding thatthese ants are so common throughout tropical America, and haveexcited the attention of nearly every traveller, there still remains muchdoubt as to the use to which the leaves are put. Some naturalists havesupposed that they used them directly as food; others, that they rooftheir underground nests with them. I believe the real use they makeof them is as a manure, on which grows a minute species of fungus,on which they feed ;—that they are, in reality, mushroom growers andeaters. This explanation is so extraordinary and unexpected, that Imay be permitted to enter somewhat at length on the facts that ledme to adopt it. When I first began my warfare against the ants thatattacked my garden, I dug dow
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