Note 65 — Chapter IV · PROVISIONS AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

There is little doubt, however, that some species of Aphides and allied Coccidæ would be liable to extermination if not protected by their ant masters. See, for instance, Forel, Bull. Soc. Vaud., 1876. Mr. Cockerell in Jamaica has noted an interesting Coccid, Icerya rosæ, which is protected by ants; “at the present moment some of these Iceryæ are enjoying life, which would certainly have perished at my hands but for the inconvenience presented by the numbers of stinging ants.” — Nature, 27th April 1893. Mr. Romanes (Nature, 18th May 1893) quotes as follows from a letter addressed to him by the Rev. W. G. Proudfoot: — “On looking up I noticed that hundreds of large black ants were going up and down the tree, and then I saw the aphides…. But what struck me most was that the aphides showered down their excretions independently of the ants’ solicitations, while at other times I noticed that an ant would approach an aphis without getting anything, and would then go to another. I was struck with this, because I remembered Mr. Darwin’s inability to make the aphides yield their secretion after many experiments. A large number of hornets were flying about the tree, but seemed afraid of the ants; for when they attempted to alight, an ant would at once rush to the spot, and the hornet would get out of its way.” Return