LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 37 



They are thrown into great consternation if 

 they see an ant, belonging to another nest, at- 

 tempting to climb the stalk of a plant covered 

 with the insect cows which they consider espe- 

 cially their own, and drive him off with little 

 ceremony. Some kinds of ants carry large 

 numbers of these insects to their nest, and let 

 them feed on the stalks and plants around it ; 

 while others secure them in a pen, by building 

 a wall around the place where they are kept. 

 They take the entire charge of their eggs, put- 

 ting them in a place of safety when the nest is 

 attacked, and carrying them out in warm, dry 

 weather, that they may be early hatched by the 

 heat of the sun; thus absolutely rearing the cat- 

 tle which afford them so large a supply of good 

 and wholesome food. 



A naturalist tells us that one day, as he was 

 looking at a plant covered with these little 

 Aphides, he saw an ant creeping up the stalk. 

 He was at once interested, and carefully watch- 

 ing its motions, observed that it passed several 

 of the insects without disturbing them. At 

 length it stopped, and tapping one of them on 

 each side with its antennae, the gentlemen ob- 

 4* 



