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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 27

Notes and Queries

Notes and Queries.

Having occasion recently to pass through the Botanical Gardens and Domain, my attention was arrested by what to me appeared a new feature of insect life. I observed, a cluster of the common red ant on one of the branches of a young eucalyptus engaged, as I at first thought, dismembering some unfortunate insect victim which had fallen a prey to them; but, on closer inspection, I was surprised to notice that they carefully avoided injuring the insect, and, indeed, seemed to be going through a sort of "caressing" motion with regard to it, while the object of their attentions made efforts to disengage itself from their embraces. The insect, which in body, was about the size of a pea, and semi-transparent, exuded at intervals from the anus a milk-like fluid, upon each of which occasions there was a rush of the ants, who immediately sucked it away. I shall feel glad if any one can enlighten me upon this certainly interesting phase of insect life, which may be no novelty to others, but is so to me. I am aware that the ant is known to milk the "aphidæ," and squeeze them for the sake of a kind of saccharine fluid which they yield; but I was not previously aware of any other insect being used by them for a similar purpose until the above mentioned incident came under my notice.—Alpha.