Selo3 4  Possibilit  of Gontrol '&I Natural Agencies. There is al- 
ways a possibility, if not a probability, that these ants will soon 
decline in numbers through natural agencies without the necessity 
of artifinial control. We may be experiencing the effect of a 
normal abundance cycle, but if so the cycle must be a long one. 
Diseases, parasites and other natural enemies, as well as weather, 
may at any time begin to exert a controlling influence, for all we 
know to the contrary, If Dr. Creighton is correct in his belief 
that the subspecies rufa is a native rather than an introduced ant 
this behavior may be expected, for this species should have reach- 
ed some sort of an equilibrium through the ages. On the contrary 
if rfa has been introduced, as was formerly believed, there seems 
greater liklihood that they will go through a period of excessive 
abundance, as do so many introduced insect pests on reaching new 
territory. Their recent spectacular increase would be more easily 
explained on the latter hypothesis. 
Third*  Factors Influencin  Distribution.  Very little is known 
about the influence on fire ant abundance and distribution of soils 
of different types, varying degrees of soil moisture and temper- 
ature, and similar inscrutable factors. Fire ants have been noted 
in abundance on sandy soils, clay soils and even on stony lands, 
but are unaccountably absent over other similar appearing lands. 
METHODS OF CONTROLLING FIRE ANTS. 
As the effectiveness of attempting to control fire ants on a 
large scale as a means of quail preservation has not been fully 
demnstr ted to date, we do not want to take the responsibility at 
this time of recommending that our members in the Thomasville- 
Tallahaasee region launeh ay oitusive campaign of eradication