410 



NATURE S TEACHINGS. 



on a slave-hunting expedition. They find out the nest of the 

 special Ant whose aid they need, penetrate into it, and bear off 

 the pupae, or "ants' eggs," as they are popularly called. These 

 are carried to their new home, and are speedily hatched. They 

 know no other home, and, led by instinct, set to work as indus- 

 triously as if they had never been removed. 



Those who have watched their habits are unanimous in 

 declaring that they seem perfectly happy and contented. No 



SLAVE- CAPTURING ANTS. 



compulsion is used towards them, and they work because told 

 to do so by their own instinct Work they must, and it does 

 not in the least matter to them for whom the work is done. 



ANOTHER branch of this subject is shown in the accompanying 

 illustration, namely, the pleasure garden or playground. 



This is, as we all know, a token of high civilisation, and even 

 in the ancient times the hanging gardens of Babylon were 

 reckoned as the greatest wonders of that great city, the then 

 mistress of the world. 



No savage ever dreamed of such a thing as a pleasure garden, 

 nor could appreciate it if he saw it. Yet there are birds which 

 far surpass the savage in this respect, and which build recrea- 

 tion grounds for the sole purpose of amusement. 



These are the well-known Bower-birds of Australia, which I 

 sincerely hope may not be extirpated by the white man, as has 

 been the case with so many creatures, including the aborigines 

 of Tasmania themselves. 



The Bower-birds, which are distantly related to our thrush 



