NATURE'S CRAFTSMEN 



reason of the protection affonlod tliciii, and the seclusion 

 enforced by the workers, they probably hve much longer 

 than other members of the conmiunity. Within artifi- 

 cial surroundings they attain a comparatively long life. 

 The oldest emmet queen known to science was one pre- 

 served under the care of Lord Avebury, better known 

 as Sir John Lubbock. In the winter of 1881, during 

 a visit to this distinguished naturalist at his country- 

 seat. High Elms, Kent, the author for the first time saw 

 this venerable sovereign, living in the ingenious artificial 

 formicary which had been prepared for her. She was 

 then in the prime of life, as it afterwards appeared, being 

 seven years old. 



In the summer of 1887 Sir John was again visited, this 

 time at his town house in London. After greetings he 

 was asked about his royal pet. 



"I have sad news to tell you," he answered. 



" What ? Is the queen dead ?' ' 



" She died only yesterday. I have not had the heart 

 to tell the news as yet even to my wife." 



Having offered my hearty condolence, I asked to see 

 the dead queen. Sir John led the way to the room 

 where his artificial nests were kept. The glass case 

 which contained the special formicary in which the okl 

 ant had lived was opened up. Lying in one of the larger 

 open spaces or rooms was the dead queen. She was sur- 

 rounded by a crowd of workers, who were tenderly lick- 

 ing her, touching her with their antenntie, and making 

 other demonstrations as if soliciting her attention, or 

 desiring to wake her out of sleep. Poor, dumb, loving, 

 faithful creatures ! There was no response. Their 

 queen mother lay motionless beneath their demonstra- 

 tions. 



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