NATURE'S CRAFTSMEN 



the workers, the true honey-gatherers. Of these there 

 were three castes, the majors, minors, and minims, or 

 dwarfs. 



But whence do the workers get their supply? From 

 the aphides, of course! Here experience failed to be a 

 true guide, for in the whole vicinage there was not an 

 aphis found. Even the wild rose-bushes, which there 

 abounded, were barren of these familiar emmet herds. 

 In sooth, neither aphides nor ants were found on our 

 first day's search among the near-by shrubbery. The 

 nests were as silent and apparently as empty of life as 

 cemeteries. Throughout the day nothing living moved 

 about them but the circle of sentinels that kept ceaseless 

 guard just within the gate. 



As this implied a nocturnal habit, a nest convenient 

 to our tent was chosen for observation, and nightfall 

 was awaited. The sun set at 7.30 o'clock, and the 

 Garden began to darken, although the snowy summit of 

 Pikes Peak was still aglow. Then a few ants appeared. 

 They advanced to the top of the crater; they were fol- 

 lowed by others, who swarmed upon it. They pushed 

 out upon the gravelled slopes of the mound, the upper 

 part of which was soon covered with yellow insects 

 moving restlessly to and fro. There were no rotmids 

 or semirotunds among these mustering squadrons; all 

 were workers with normal abdomens. 



Presently an ant left the mound and started over the 

 ridge northward. Another — several — a score followed. 

 Soon a long column trailed along the ridge. It was so 

 dark that it could be traced only by stooping close 

 thereto; and a lantern had to be used. 



Fifty feet from the nest the colunm descended the 

 slope and entered a copse of scrub-oak, within which 



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