370 PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



introduced with them, arrived at their imago state, and lived together 

 under the same roof in the most perfect amity. 



These facts show what effects education will produce even upon insects ; 

 that it will impart to them a new bias, and modify in some respects their 

 usual instincts, rendering them familiar with objects which, had they been 

 educated at home, they would have feared, and causing them to love those 

 whom in that case they would have abhorred. — It occasions, however, no 

 further change in their character, since the master and slave, brought up 

 with the same care and under the same superintendence, are associated in 

 the mixed formicary under laws entirely opposite.^ 



Unparalleled and unique in the animal kingdom as this history may 

 appear, you will scarcely deem the next I have to relate less singular and 

 less worthy of admiration. That ants should have their milch cattle is as 

 extraordinary as that they should have slaves. Here, perhaps, you may 

 again feel a fit of incredulity shake you ; — but the evidence for tlie fact I 

 am now stating being abundant and satisfactory, I flatter myself it will not 

 shake you long. 



The loves of ihe ants and the Aphides (for these last are the kine in ques- 

 tion) have long been celebrated ; and that there is a connexion between 

 them you may at any time, in the proper season, convince yourself; for 

 you will always find the former very busy on those trees and plants on 

 which the latter abound: and if you examine more closely, you will dis- 

 cover that their object in thus attending upon them is to obtain the saccha- 

 rine fluid, which may well be denominated their milk^, that they secrete. 



This fluid, which is scarcely inferior to honey in sweetness, issues in 

 limpid drops from the abdomen of these insects, not only by the ordinary 

 passage, but also by two setiform tubes placed, one on each side, just 

 above it. Their sucker being inserted in the tender bark, is without inter- 

 mission employed in absorbing the sap, which, after it has passed through 

 the system, they keep continually discharging by these organs. When no 

 ants attend them, by a certain jerk of the body, which takes place at regular 

 intervals, they ejaculate it to a distance: but when the ants are at hand, 

 watching the moment when the Aphides emit their fluid, they seize and 

 suck it down immediately. This, however, is the least of their talents ; 

 for they absolutely possess the art of making them yield it at their plea- 

 sure ; or, in other words, of milking them. On this occasion their antennae 

 are their fingers ; with these they pat the abdomen of the aphis on each 

 side alternately, moving them very briskly ; a little drop of fluid immedi- 

 ately appears, which the ant takes into its mouth, one species {Myrmica 

 rubra) conducting it with its antennae, which are somewhat swelled at the 

 end. When it has thus milked one, it proceeds to another, and so on, till 

 being satiated it returns to the nest. 



But you are not arrived at the most singular part of this history, — that 



' See Huber, chap, vii — xi. Mixed societies, similar to the above described, have been 

 observed amongst exotic ants by M. Lund, who mentions a species of Mijrmica (Bl.paleata) 

 found in L^razil, whose nest contains the neuters (doubtless employed as slaves, though un- 

 fortunately M. Lund had not an opportunity of observing the excursions in which the pupre 

 they sprung from were captured) of a neighboring species, M. erythrotkorax. (Lacordaire, 

 Introd. a rEritom. ii. 503.) 



* The ant ascends the tree, says Linn6, that it may milk its corns, ihe Aphides, not kill 

 them. Syst. Nat. 962. Sp. 3. 



