IO2 LIVING CREATURES. 



ing all your walls and galleries. But I should be glad 

 to have you tell me something about them. 



Ant. I hardly know how to describe them to you, 

 my dear. We build almost entirely under ground, ex- 

 cavating arched chambers, sometimes round or oval, 

 but all well smoothed and hard finished. These are 

 connected by galleries. Some of our nests are three 

 or four feet deep, and occupy a large space, like this 

 one, which you see, has several different entrances. 



Jenny. I should like to hear something more about 

 ants, if you are not too busy to talk to me. 



Ant. O, I have nothing to do at present. This is 

 my resting-time, and I am glad to enjoy it, for I was 

 working all night. 



Jenny. Do you work all night? 



Ant. Sometimes, when it is moonlight, and we are 

 very busy. At this time of year, especially, v/hen 

 storms are frequent, we are very glad to avail ourselves 

 of every hour of dry weather. But as I am at leisure 

 I can answer all your questions. The nest of the 

 horse-ant consists, like ours, of a great many cells and 

 galleries ; though about half of their apartments are 

 above ground. They transport their young ones from 

 the upper to the lower stories, when it grows cold, and 

 back again when the sun shines out. There are other 

 ants which build their nest wholly in the earth. These 

 ants work only after sunset, and are very industrious 

 and ingenious. Their walls, pillars, and arches are all 

 made of soft clay, well worked and tempered. Each 

 ant brings in its mouth a morsel of clay and joins it 

 to the rest, smoothing it with her jaws and patting it 

 with her forefeet. 



