182 APHIDES REARED BY ANTS. 



We have also often noticed the Aphis of the plum-tree and 

 others, fastened on by another infester of a parasitic nature, in 

 the shape of a bright scarlet Mite, not to be detached from 

 the body of its victim so long as life remains. 



But enough of Aphis enemies ; and now for the friends, 

 which, as well as foes, they owe to the possession of their 

 honeyed treasures. "We have hitherto seen our flocks of the leaf, 

 appropriated as sheep for the slaughter ; but those to whom 

 this fact, however new, will appear nothing strange, may smile 

 incredulous, on being told that as "milch kine" they are 

 sometimes kept, tended, and even reared by insect proprietors, 

 for the sake of the sweet milk the hone}^-dew which they 

 afford. In our history of "Fair-weather Friends," we have 

 already adverted to this patriarchal practice, and have, there- 

 fore, only to remind our readers that it is exercised among 

 various tribes of economic Ants, though the Yellow Ant* has 

 been termed the greatest cow-keeper of them all. It may 

 require some time and trouble to become witnesses ourselves 

 of this marvellous instance of Formic economy, already 

 proved beyond a doubt by the observations of others ; but 

 everybody has an opportunity of noticing that Ants and 

 Aphides are held together by some bond of union. They 

 are continually seen in company, and a little further scrutiny 

 presently discovers that the Ants are the followers of the 

 Aphides, and entirely for what they can get out of them. 



* Formica flava. 



