80 



bringing dirt from the gronncl. I found several inhabited nests as 

 high as 15 to 20 feet above the ground in the forks of live-oak trees. 

 These nests appeared to be entirely independent of the nests at the 

 foot of the tree. 



The ants were noticed aiding in the distribution of the following 

 insects on the grounds of the station and in other parts of the park : ' 



Aphides on fig, citrus trees, sycamore, live-oak, cedar, arbor-vita\ 

 Dui'anta pluuiu'vi^ and ornamental plants in greenhouses, and on the 

 grounds. 



Ceroplastes -floridensis Comst., occurring on fig, persimmon, orange, 

 lemon, and on many plants in the horticultural greenhouses. 



Fig. 7. — Persimmon showing protective coveriug made by lyiduinyvnitx /nnyn'/is (original ). 



Pseudococcvs citr'i Risso. occurring on all citrus-fruit trees, fig, 

 persimmon, plum,' sycamore, live-oak. willow, and other trees, palms 

 and ornamental shrubbery of almost all kinds, chrysanthemums, 

 dahlias, golden-rod, and various plants in the greenhouses, including 

 ferns, palms, coral-tree, coffee-tree, and a species of Hibiscus. 



Scale-lice of several other species are being taken care of by these 

 ants. They occur in such great numbers that they have apparently 

 become care-takers for all kinds of scale and plant-lice present in the 

 regions they infest. AVliere possible to do so, they build a covering, 

 composed of dead lice, cast skins, dead ant remains, and dirt over 

 the insects for which they are caring. On fruit this is first built near 

 the base of the stem and graduallv extended outward as the colony 



