in.] DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 73 



least do take steps to provide themselves with food in 

 the future. The small yellow meadow ant (Lasius 

 flavus), for instance, lives principally on the honey dew 

 of certain aphides which suck the roots of grass. The 

 ants collect the aphides in the nest, not only watching 

 over them themselves, but, as I have been able to satisfy 

 myself, even over their eggs ; an act which one is much 

 tempted to refer to forethought, and which in such a 

 case implies a degree of prudence superior to that of 

 some savages. 



Besides these aphides, many other insects live in ants' 

 nests. If they are to be regarded as domestic animals, 

 then ants have more domestic animals than we have. 

 The majority of these ant-guests are beetles. Some of 

 them, as, for instance, the curious little Claviger, are 

 quite blind, and are only found in ants' nests, the ants 

 taking just as much care of them as of their own young 

 It is evident, therefore, that in some way they are use- 

 ful or agreeable to the ants. The subject, however, is 

 one as yet but little understood, and very difficult to 

 study. Grimm and Lespes consider that some of these 

 beetles secrete a sweet fluid, as do the aphides, and from 

 analogy this seems probable. Other creatures which 

 habitually live in ants' nests, like the little Beckia 

 albinos, or the blind woodlouse (Platyarthrus) , perhaps 

 make themselves useful as scavengers. 



Nor are ants without their enemies. In addition to 

 birds and other larger foes, if you disturb a nest of the 

 brown ants at any time during the summer, you will 

 probably see some very small flies hovering over them, 

 and every now and then making a dash at some particu- 

 lar ant. These flies belong to the genus Phora, and to 



