264 



TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



" That is an important explana- 

 tion," Abby remarked, "for I have 

 learned to take all maps that issue 

 from railroad offices with great 

 allowance for a scientific use of 

 the imagination. It is surprising 

 to see how straight their lines run 

 between main points on the maps, 

 and hoAv many curves, SAveeps and 

 deflections there are when j'ou come 

 to ride on their trains !" 



As Abby's sally evidently touched 

 a common experience it was greeted 

 with hearty merriment. "I can 

 vouch for the accuracy of this chart, 

 at all events," I said. "And this 

 is all the more remarkable when you 

 remember that the lines were run 

 nndergroicnd. In some places the 

 tunnel Avas as deep as six feet be- 

 neath the surface, the average depth 

 being al)Out eighteen inches. At 

 the 'Exit Hole,' 484 feet from the 

 nest, the tunnel was two feet deep. 

 1 am not prepared to say upon 

 what principles these lines were laid 

 out by the ants, but 1 venture the 

 opinion that they show as good evi- 

 dence of thorough engineering in 

 going directly to their points of des- 



