Let them enjoy their little day,
Their humble bliss receive;
Oh! do not lightly take away
The life thou canst not give!
T. GISBORNE.
ANTS, BEES, AND WASPS.
Ants, bees, and wasps belong to the same family of insects. The ant, to
begin with the smallest, is a good proof that size has little to do with
intelligence.
These little people, as King Solomon said of them long ago, "are
exceeding wise." A long chapter might be filled with an account of the
wonderful things they do. In this country there are ants who are
farmers. They plant their fields, keep them carefully weeded, and gather
each year the seed for the new crops. They make roads, build bridges,
and fashion wonderful houses with underground storerooms and galleries.
If their harvest gets wet, it is brought out to dry on the first sunny
day, and then carried back again with the greatest pains.
Other ants are master-builders and make elaborate houses of more than
forty stories. These houses are made of bits of stick and straw. Some
ants are soldiers, others are gardeners, while still others are famous
bridge-builders. The red ants make slaves of black ants and become very
dependent upon the faithfulness and industry of their servants.
Pages:
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110