ISO ROMANCE OF THE INSECT WORLD CHAP. 



destruction of herbivorous insects and mammals 

 through the presence of their honey glands, whose 

 primary object is to attract the guardian ants. Among 

 others many epiphytal* orchids and species of Passi- 

 flora may be mentioned, but they provide no house- 

 room for their warders. On the other hand the 

 Cecropia* or Trumpet Tree of Central America, 

 equips ants with a house, but no food. The absent 

 necessary the tenants furnish themselves with by 

 means of Coccidcz, or scale insects, which they intro- 

 duce into their home, and keep in their cells within 

 the tree. From these lodgers a sweet liquor is ob- 

 tained, and the Cocci in turn find their nourishment 

 in the plant's juices. The stem of the Trumpet Tree 

 is hollow, and divided into cells by partitions 

 which extend across the interior of the trunk. The 

 ants gain admission by boring a hole from the out- 

 side ; subsequently they pierce the partitions and get 

 the run of a large space. In her own royal cell the 

 queen of the community resides, surrounded by a 

 special bevy of Cocci, who yield her the requisite 

 sustenance. The eggs, the grubs, and the pupae, 

 have likewise their private apartments. In some 

 of the Melastomce ants occupy the pouches 

 on the petioles* at the bases of the laminae. 

 As in the previous instance, Coccidce are taken 

 for the supply of food. The hosts, on their 

 part, guard the leaves in return for shelter, and 

 shield their attendant Coccidcz from the attacks 

 of other animal forms in the common habitation. 



Unfortunately many of the exotic ants have 

 been only slightly studied in respect of their habits, 



