156 THE BROOK BOOK 



enough for one ant at a time. There was no door 

 to open and shut, and no window. Only the ants 

 of the shed-building colony knew the way to this 

 "dairy." I could not help wondering if the aphids 

 thus protected were especially "good milkers" or 

 if they ever "went dry." 



"This is a valuable specimen," said the Pro- 

 fessor. "Will you sell it? I'll bid two dollars on 

 it for the university collection. Do any of you 

 want to raise me?" he said, turning to the class. 



I blushed to my toes and stammered out my 

 willingness that he should do what he liked with 

 it. I really was glad to be rid of it, for the 

 responsibility of getting it home had weighed on 

 me. The specimen eventually found its way to 

 the entomological museum. The Professor was as 

 good as his word. I think I spent that two dollars 

 five times over for luxuries I couldn't afford. 



Every year since then the field class has visited 

 that particular spot on the right bank of the 

 "Little Indian." The members of the class have 

 not found the nest of these shed-building ants, 

 but every year they find a dozen or more of the 

 little mud cow-sheds and always on dogwood. 

 Other specimens have gone to keep mine com- 

 pany in the museum, but I like to single out my 

 own and gloat over it. 



