PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 89 



earnestness, and use every means to keep them to 

 themselves. Sometimes they seem to claim a right to 

 the aphides that inhabit the biaiiches of a tree or the 

 stalks of a plant; and if stranger-ants attempt to share 

 their treasure with them, they endeavour to drive them 

 away, and may be seen running about in a great bustle, 

 and exhibiting every symptom of inquietude and anger- 

 Sometimes, to rescue them from their rivals, they take 

 their aphides in their mouth, they generally keep guard 

 round them, and when the branch is conveniently si- 

 tuated, they have recourse to an expedient still more 

 effectual to keep off interlopers, — they inclose it in a 

 tube of earth or other materials, and thus confine them 

 in a kind of paddock near their nest, and often com- 

 municating with it. 



The greatest cow-keeper of all the ants is one to be 

 met with in most of our pastures, residing in hemisphe- 

 rical formicaries, which are sometimes of considerable 

 diameter. I mean the yellow ant of Gould {F.Jlava). 

 This species, which is not fond of roaming from home, 

 and likes to have all its conveniences within reach, 

 usually collects in its nest a large herd of a kind of 

 Aphis, that derives its nutriment from the roots of grass 

 and other plants {Aphis radicum) ; these it transports 

 from the neighbouring roots, probably by subterra- 

 nean galleries, excavated for the purpose, leading from 

 the nest in all directions^; and thus, witliout going 

 out, it has always at hand a copious supply of food. 

 These creatures share its care and solicitude equally 

 with its own oftspring. To the eggs it pays particular 

 attention, moistening them with its tongue, carrying 



* Huber, 195. I have more than once found these Aphides in the ncsls 

 of this species of ant. 



