ANTS 145 



and there on the spiny leaves. (Plate 20, Fig. 2.) 

 Each of these was i)erhaps half an inch or an inch 

 long and a quarter of an inch in diameter, and so 

 built that the grass blade formed one part of the wall, 

 a space being left enclosed between it and the sand. 

 The cylinder was always closed at the top and had a 

 small opening at the bottom so that if rain came it 

 would not get into the chambers. 



Watching the ants which are very* small and 

 black-bodied with yellowish feet, I saw them run- 

 ning in and out of these chambers, and on opening 

 the latter, found that they were always built over 

 two or more Coccidse (Order Hemiptera), attached 

 to the leaf of the grass. Here, as in the case of 

 the ants described by Belt in Nicaragua, the Coccidse 

 abstract nutriment from the leaf, and the ants take 

 advantage of the exudation from the body of the 

 Coccus. This arrangement is with(^ut d(^ubt of 

 advantage to both parties concerned. The Cocci- 

 dse gain protection from enemies to whom they are 

 made invisible, and also from the great heat of the 

 sun. and at the same time the ants get without much 

 trouble to themselves a supply of food." 



Life History of Ant. 



The eggs are laid by the mother and are moist^ 

 ened by salivary fluid which enables the eggs to 

 cling together, and it has been suggested that the 

 fluid is probably antiseptic, preventing the growth 

 of fungi, etc. Thus the eggs are more easily car- 

 ried when being removed, for they are very tiny, 

 most people mistaking the pupae for eggs. The 



