BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



forethought and contrivance in regard to their 

 friends the aphides, which I mentioned some- 

 time ago in my journal ? 



The yellow ant, for instance, which seldom leaves 

 its home, and likes to have its comforts within 

 reach, usually collects in its nest a large herd of 

 a kind of aphis, that derives its nutriment from 

 the roots of grass. These are conveyed by sub- 

 terranean galleries into the nest, so that, without 

 going out, it has a constant supply of food. The 

 ants bestow as much care on these little milch- 

 cows as on their own offspring, and pay parti- 

 cular attention to their eggs, moistening them 

 with their tongue, carrying them tenderly in 

 their mouth, and placing them in the sun to be 

 hatched. When Frederick opened one of the 

 ant-hills, we observed a parcel of these little 

 black eggs very near the surface ; and the ants 

 were so distressed at our visit, that they imme- 

 diately began to carry the eggs to the inside of 

 the nest. By hatching these eggs early, they 

 provide future food for their own families ; and 

 I am sure that is shewing forethought. This 

 aphis yields a great quantity of that sweet fluid 

 of which the ants are so fond ; it flows from two 

 hair-like tubes, placed one on each side, and the 

 ants, who watch for the moment when it is ready, 

 suck it down immediately. It is said, that the 

 ants can make the aphides yield this fluid at any 



