NATURAL HISTORY STUDIES 



sunned, and to carry them back again when it 

 rains ; perhaps this habit led on to what at first 

 sight is so startling, that the ants take aphides down 

 into their underground nests, and take care both of 

 them and of their young. 



How quaint is the case of a mosquito which cannot 

 bite, but has learned to milk ants. It has somehow 

 discovered the profitableness of the old advice 

 " Go to the ant, thou sluggard." The mosquito 

 frequents certain trees in Java, on which the ants 

 in question go to and fro. It hails a passing ant 

 and strokes the head with quick movements of 

 its forelegs and antennse, probably tickling, perhaps 

 massaging, the ant. In any case, the ant emits a 

 drop of juice, which the mosquito sucks up. Then 

 the ant goes on its way. 



Agricultural Operations 



Agricultural industries are again illustrated among 

 the ants. The harvesting of grain, believed in from 

 ancient days, has been verified by modern natural- 

 ists. In his Agricultural Ant of Texas, M'Cook 

 gave an account of the abundant red-bearded ant, 

 which weeds out circular discs in open ground, 

 tolerating only the needle-grass, whose seeds are 

 gathered and stored along with others in underground 

 granaries. " Not a plant is allowed to intrude 

 upon the formicary bounds ; and, although often 

 seen, it was an interesting sight, after pushing 

 through the high weeds, to come upon one of these 

 nests, and observe the tall, tough vegetation standing 

 in a wellnigh perfect circle around the edge of the 



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