286 THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 



ing the sap, which, after it has passed through these organs, they 

 keep continually discharging. When no ants attend them, by a 

 certain jerk of the body, which takes place at regular intervals, 

 they ejaculate it to a distance." 



" Mr. Knight once observed a shower of honey-dew descending 

 in innumerable small globules, near one of his oak trees. He cut 

 off one of the branches, took it into the house, and, holding it in a 

 stream of light admitted through a small opening, distinctly saw 

 the aphides ejecting the fluid from their bodies with considerable 

 force, and this accounts for its being frequently found in situations 

 where it could not have arrived by the mere influence of gravita- 

 tion. The drops that are thus spurted out, unless interrupted by 

 the surrounding foliage, or some other interposing body, fall upon 

 the ground ; and the spots may often be observed, for some time, 

 beneath and around the trees, affected with honey-dew, till washed 

 away by the rain. The power which these insects possess of 

 ejecting the fluid from their bodies, seems to have been wisely 

 instituted to preserve cleanliness in each individual fly, and, 

 indeed, for the preservation of the whole family; for, pressing as 

 they do upon one another, they would otherwise soon be glued 

 together, and rendered incapable of stirring. On looking stead- 

 fastly at a group of these insects (Aphides salicis) while feeding 

 on the bark of the willow, their superior size enabled us to per- 

 ceive some of them elevating their bodies and emitting a trans- 

 parent substance in the form of a small shower : 



" ' Nor scorn ye now, fond elves, the foliage sear, 

 When the light aphids, arm'd with puny spear, 

 Probe each emulgent vein, till bright below, 

 Like falling stars, clear drops of nectar glow.' EVANS. 



" Honey-dew usually appears upon the leaves as a viscid, 

 transparent substance, as sweet as honey itself, sometimes in the 

 form of globules, at others resembling a syrup. It is generally 

 most abundant from the middle of June to the middle of July 

 sometimes as late as September. 



"It is found chiefly upon the oak, the elm, the maple, the 

 plane, the sycamore, the lime, the hazel, and the blackberry ; occa- 



