THE COWS 19 



pasture were at once at the top of the elder bush. 



"That is wonderful, Uncle," cried Claire. 



"Wonderful, my dear child. The elder is not 

 the only bush that nourishes milk herds for the ants. 

 Plant-lice can be found on many other forms of veg- 

 etation. Those on the rosebush and cabbage are 

 green ; on the elder, bean, poppy, nettle, willow, pop- 

 lar, black ; on the oak and thistle, bronze color ; on the 

 oleander and nut, yellow. All have the two tubes 

 from which oozes the sugary liquor ; all vie with one 

 another in feasting the ants." 



Claire and her uncle went in-doors. Emile and 

 Jules, enraptured by what they had just seen, began 

 to look for lice on other plants. In less than an hour 

 they had found four different kinds, all receiving 

 visits of no disinterested sort from the ants. 



