108 LIFE ON THE FARM. 



eat almost anything that they can lay hold of. 

 Ants probably display the greatest amount of intel- 

 ligence in securing food. They have what are 

 known as "ants' cows" and milk them. The 

 so-called cows are plant lice from which they 

 secure a sweetish substance called honey dew. 

 They not only get it from plant lice while they are 

 on plants, but they also take them to their homes 

 and keep them much the same as a farmer does 

 his cows. 



The main function of the adult female insect is 

 to lay eggs, and generally after this act is accom- 

 plished, she dies. Insects lay a great many eggs; 

 some, many thousands. This is very necessary to 

 preserve the species, for they are incessantly 

 preyed upon by birds and other animals. Only 

 one or two of every thousand ever come to 

 maturity. 



MIMICRY AND PROTECTIVE RESEMBLANCE. 



Insects have so many enemies that they have 

 acquired habits and devices by means of which to 

 escape destruction. Eggs are frequently the color 

 of the leaves upon which they are laid, or they are 

 stuck to the under side of leaves to escape detec- 

 tion. The eggs, as well as the caterpillars of the 

 cabbage butterfly, are so nearly of the green of the 

 cabbage leaf that only the closest search can reveal 

 them. The wings of some adult insects are so 

 nearly like certain leaves in form and color that 



