418 NATURE STUDY AND LIFE 



as honeydew, which some species discharge. For this 

 reason aphids are sometimes called "ant cows." The 

 milking of their cows is readily observed. Practically all 

 the ants seen about trees are tending their herds of cows, 

 and if we follow one we may soon see her come up to an 

 aphid and stroke it gently with her feelers. In response 

 the aphid emits a* little droplet of honeydew from two 

 minute tubes on its back, and this the ant eagerly licks up. 

 A destructive species of aphid, the corn louse, feeds upon 

 the roots of corn, and it has been found that the brown 

 ant collects the eggs of this aphid in the fall, takes care 

 of the r " its nest during the winter, and carries the 

 new] " olant lice back to the corn roots in the 



sp> ible that this or other species of ants may 



distnl te plant I n similar manner to the leaves of 



trees or s. bs, but this v has not as yet been discovered. 



An ants' iiest may be made with a slate and a pane of 

 glass large enough to rest upon t he frame all the way 

 around. Cut one o. ' little passageways in the 



frame, have a board just .as large as the glass to keep 

 the nest dark when not undd I stand the 



slate on two bricks in a shallow . ^ -in of w To fill 



the nest select a hot, sunny afterno n, turn over ;.; "'it 

 stone quickly, and with a spoon first scrape up as many 

 ants, pupae, and eggs as possible into a wide-mouthed 

 bottle ; then dig open the nest and be sure to caich one 

 or more queens, with as many more ants, eggs, and larvae 

 as possible. Cork the bottle and, without more delay than 

 necessary, turn the contents upon the slate, spreading it 

 out so that the glass will rest on the frame, and cover 

 up. By the next morning you will find a well-ordered 



