Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-06-23
ANTS AND THEIR COWS.

will scarcely deem the next have to re-
late, less singular and less, worthy of ad-
miration. That ants should have their
milchs cattle, is as extraordinary as that
they should have slaves. Here. perhaps,
You may again feel fit of incledulity
shake Won but The evidence for The fac,
I am now stating being abundant and
satisfaetdry,I latter myself IL will not
shake you long
The loves Of the ants and the aphides
flor these last are the kind iu question:
have long been celebrated and that there
Is connection between them, you may,
at any time, in the proper season, convince
yourself; (; for you will always 6ud the for
1ner very busy in those trees and plants in
which the latter abound aud if you
examine more closely, you will discover
that their. object inthus attending upon
Them, is to obtain the saccharine fluid,
which may well be denominated their
milk, that they secrete.
@ This fluid, which is scarcely inferior 10
honey in sweetness, issues in liupid drops
from the abdomen Of these insects, by Two
setiform tubes placed, one on each side.
Their sucker being inserted in the tender
bark, is without in,ermission employed in
absorbing the sap, which, after it has pas
sed through the system, they keep conIin-
ually dischargiug by these organs. When
no ants attend them, by a certain jerk of
The body, which takes place al regular in
teryals they calculate it 10 distance ;
but when The ants are at hand. watching
the moment when the aphides emit their
fluid, they seize and suck it down immedi-
ately. This, however, is the least OF
their talents for they absolutely possess
the art of making them yield it at their
pleasure or, 10 other words, of milking
Them. On this occasion, their antenna
lfeelersl are their fingers with ,hes they
pu, the abdomen Of the aphis, on each side
alternately, moving them very busily a
little drop Of fluid Immediately appear,
which the ant takes into its mouth, one
species {Myrnica rubra, conducting it
with its antanna, which are somewhat
swelled at the end. When il has thus
MIXED one, ii proceeds TO another, and so
on, till being satialed, it returns to the
nest.
No, only the aphidss yield this repast to
the ants, bu, also the cocci, with whom
they have recourse to similar maneuvres,
and with equal success, only in this case,
the movement Of the antenna over their
body may be compared TO the thrill of the
finger over the keys ofa piano forte.
Is, But ycu are BOT arrived at tho most
singular part of this history-that ants
make property oflhese cows, for the pos.
session of which they contend with great
earnestness, aud use every means 10 keep
them to themselves. Sometimes they
seem to claim right. TO the aphides that
inhabit The branches Of tree, or the stalks
of a plant and if stranger ants attempt 10
share their treasure with them, they en-
!deayor io.drive them away, and may be
seen running about in q great hustle, and
exhibiting every symptom Of solici,ude
and anger. Sometimes, 10 rescue them
from their rivals; they tab their aphides
in their mouth, they generally keep guard
saround them and when the branch is
conveniently situated, they have recourse
10 an expedient still more effectual 10 keep
off, interlopsrs--they enclose il in tube
of earth or other materials, and thus con-
fine them TO kind Of paddock near the
net, and often communicating whit.
80 The greatest cow-keeper of all the ants,
. Is one 10 be met with in most of our pas
aures, England residing in hemispberial
formicaries, which are sometimes of con-
siderable diameter. I mean the yellow
ant of Gould. (F. .fave.) This species,
which is not fond of roaming fromi home,
and likes to have all its couvepiences
within reach. usually collects in its nests
large herd Of kind Of aphis, that derives
its nutriment from the roots Of grass and
others. {Aphis Tadicum y these it transports
from the neishboriDg roots, probably by
subterranean galleries, excaValed for The
purpose, leading from the uest in all drec-
lions and thus, without going out, it has
always on hand copious supply of food,
these creatures share its cLre and solcitude
equally with lis own offspring. TO The
eggs it pays particular attention, mosten-
ing them with ils tongue, carrying them
in its mouth with the utsmost tenderness,
and giving them The advantage of the sun.
Our yellow ants are equally careful OF
their aphides. After they are hatched,
when their nest is disturbed. conveying
them into tho interior, fighting Gercely for
them if the. inhabitants Of neighboriDg
formicaries, as is sometimes the case, at
tempt to make them their prey, and car
rying them about in their mouths to change
their pasture or for some other purpose.
When you consider that from them they
receive almost the whole nutriment, both
of themselves and larye, you will not
wonder at their anxiety about them, since
the wealth and prosperity ofthe commu-
nifty is in proportion to tho number Of their
cattle. Kirby and Spsnce's Entomology.
Cane in Rapides.-The Alexandria
Democrat says, that in the parish Of
Rapides there will be about six thousand
hogsheads ofsugar made This season. The
editor is perfectly rejoiced al the exiraor-
dinaIy success which has attended sugar
planting inthe new sugar parish" as he
forp,a apidpc Hp,ce;or q, h. ,,,,,