314 FIRST LESSONS IN ZOOLOGY 



the roots of corn. Its eggs are deposited in the ground 

 in the autumn and hatch the following spring before the 

 corn is planted. The common little brown ant also lives 

 abundantly in the corn-fields, and is especially fond of the 

 hone)--dew secreted by the corn-root lice. So when they 

 hatch in the spring before there are corn-roots for them 

 to feed on, the ants with great solicitude carefully place 

 them on the roots of a certain kind of knot-weed which 

 grows in the field and there protect them until the corn 

 germinates. They are then removed to the roots of the 

 corn. In the arid lands of New Mexico and Arizona the 

 ants rear scale insects on the roots of cactus. 



Ants are among the most warlike of insects. Battles 

 between communities of different species are numerous, 

 the victorious community taking possession of the food- 

 stores of the conquered. Some species of ants live wholly 

 b)' war and robbery. In the case of the remarkable 

 robbcr-ant (Eciton), found in tropical and sub-tropical 

 regions, most of the workers are soldiers, and no longer 

 do any work but fighting. The whole community li\'es 

 exclusively by pillage. Some kinds go even farther than 

 mere robbery of food-stores ; the}' make slaves of the 

 conquered ants. There are numerous species of these 

 slave-making ants. They attack a nest of another species 

 and carr)' home the eggs and larva; and pup;i; of the con- 

 quered community. When these come to maturity they 

 have to act as slaves, collecting food, building additions 

 to the nest, and caring for the j'oung of the victors. 



As in the case of the hone)'-bee the larval ants are 

 helpless grubs and are cared for and fed by nurses. The 

 so-called "ants' eggs" — the little white oval masses 

 which we often see being carried in the mouths of ants in 

 and out of nest — are not eggs, but are the pup:v, which 

 are being brought out to enjo}' the warmth and light of 

 the sun or being taken back into the nest afterward. 



