80 
bringing dirt from the ground. I found several inhabited nests as 
high as 15 to 20 feet above the ground in the forks of live-oak trees. 
These nests appeared to be entirely independent of the nests at the 
foot of the tree. 
The ants were noticed aiding in the distribution of the following 
insects on the grounds of the station and in other parts of the park: 
Aphides on fig, citrus trees, sycamore, hve-oak, cedar, arbor-vite, 
Duranta plumieri, and ornamental plants in greenhouses, and on the 
grounds. , ? 
Ceroplastes floridensis Comst., occurring on fig, persimmon, orange, 
lemon, and on many plants in the horticultural greenhouses. 
Fic. 7.—Persimmon showing protective covering made by Iridomyrmex humilis (original). 
Pseudococcus citri Risso, occurring on all citrus-fruit trees, fig, 
persimmon, plum, sycamore, live-oak, willow, and other trees, palms 
and ornamental shrubbery of almost all kinds, chrysanthemums, | 
dahlias, golden-rod, and various plants in the greenhouses, including |" 
ferns, palms, coral-tree, coffee-tree, and a species of Hibiscus. 
Scale-lice of several other species are being taken care of by these 
ants. They occur in such great numbers that they have apparently 
become care-takers for all kinds of scale and plant-lice present in the 
regions they infest. Where possible to do so, they build a covering, 
composed of dead lice, cast skins, dead ant remains, and dirt over 
the insects for which they are caring. On fruit this is first built near 
the base of the stem and gradually extended outward as the colony 
