■SERMONS IN''— ANTS. 



343 



FIG. 110. — GRANAEIES SHOWING SEEDS AND STOKES. 



or formicary, as it is called. This was no slight task, 

 for several reasons. The yards are very wide, some of 

 them fifteen feet in diameter, more than half as wide -as 

 this house. They are made in a stiff", tough earth 

 which is difficult to dig ; moreover, the ants carry a 

 powerful weapon in the shape of a sting, which they ply 

 with great fierceness when their nests are disturbed ; 

 and I could not blame them for that, for there are few 

 creatures on earth who will not defend their own home. 

 I had, therefore, to hire a little army of men to help in 

 the digging and to fight off" the angry insects that 

 swarmed forth to attack us. I was severely stung a 

 number of times, but persevered nntil I had satisfied 

 myself that quantities of seeds were stored within the 

 formicary. Some of those near the top were yet cov- 



