Insects abroad : being a popular account of foreign insects, their structure, habits, and transformations . ace theAnts plant the seeds of apeculiar grass, and tendthem as carefully as anyhuman agriculturist coulddo, cutting down every weedthat may make its appear-ance, and watching it untilthe seed is matured. Whenripe, the grain is small, white, and very hard. The Ants then cut it down, and carryit into the subterranean galleries, where it is separated fromthe husks, which are thrown outside till cultivated when the rainy season has been more than usually long, the grain becom
Insects abroad : being a popular account of foreign insects, their structure, habits, and transformations . ace theAnts plant the seeds of apeculiar grass, and tendthem as carefully as anyhuman agriculturist coulddo, cutting down every weedthat may make its appear-ance, and watching it untilthe seed is matured. Whenripe, the grain is small, white, and very hard. The Ants then cut it down, and carryit into the subterranean galleries, where it is separated fromthe husks, which are thrown outside till cultivated when the rainy season has been more than usually long, the grain becomesdamp, and in that case theAnts take advantage of thefirst fine day, carry the seedinto the open air, and spreadit to dry in the dry it is taken backto the granaries; but thoseseeds which have sproutedare rejected, and thrownaway among the husks. Dr. Lincecum watchedthese Ants for more thantwelve years, and never sawthem plant any seed exceptthat which has been men-tioned. He also records another curious instance of instinct,or, perhaps, of reason. At first the nests were made freely G G. Fio. 230.—Myrmica barbata. Feume.(Yellowish brown.) 450 ixskcts ai;i;oad. within an orchard. But alter a while the orchard was openedto cattle, who naturally ate the succulent grass-grain whichthe Ants had planted. Finding this to be the case, the Antsabandoned the orchard, and took to making their plantation inthe garden and other spots where the cattle could not disturbthem. The crops generally spring up about the beginning ofNovember. There arc many specimens of these Ants in the British Mu-seum. Their colour is yellowish brown. The first of the illus-
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectinsects, bookyear1883
