NATURE'S CRAFTSMEN 



and braced up Avithin a pail of water to hinder the ants' 

 escape. But they made Uttle effort to leave, so intent 

 were they upon their honey-gathering. They were kept 

 in view during the rest of the night, and thus — and by 

 many like experiments that followed — appeared the 

 object of their nocturnal forays and the present source 

 of honey-supply. What was it? 



Some of the galls exuded minute globules of a white, 

 transparent, saccharine liquid, which the ants greedily 



NIGHT-WORKERS GATHERING HONEY FROM OAK-GALLS 



lapped. This sugary sap issued from the several points 

 upon the gall, which in some cases became beaded with 

 six or more droplets. During the night one gall would 

 yield at least three series, and this explained the flitting 

 of the ants from gall to gall. The successive exudations 

 invited frequent returns. Thus in emmet experience 



102 



