122 LIVING CREATURES. 



it, the tree produces an apple-like swelling in which 

 the sap turns to an acid. The gall-fly, therefore, is the 

 ink-maker, as the. wasp is the paper-maker. 



The sting of the stinging insects, such as bees, 

 wasps, and so forth, is at the end of the abdomen. 

 The same organ is used to deposit the eggs. The 

 wasp saves her sting after inflicting a wound ; the bee 

 usually leaves her sting in the wound and then dies, 

 because the sting takes away a part of her bowels. A 

 very intelligent gentleman has found that the wasp 

 fails to make a painful sting if, when she begins to 

 pierce the skin, he holds his breath. This experiment 

 can easily be tried by stirring up a wasp's nest. 



PART 3. 



THE agricultural ants of Texas have been patiently 

 and carefully watched by Rev. Mr. McCook. These 

 ants clear away the weeds and grass from a piece of 

 ground seven to twelve feet in diameter. Nothing is 

 permitted to grow on the cleared space, or disk, ex- 

 cept a needle-grass which is called ant-rice. This 

 plant they allow to grow, that they may gather the 

 seed which it bears, and store it away in their under- 

 ground galleries for winter use. On this account they 

 are called harvesting ants, and they fulfill the words of 

 King Solomon: "The ants are a people not strong, 

 yet they prepare their meat in summer." 



For such very insignificant creatures that are only 

 about a half inch long, the clearing of this farm is a 

 tremendous work. But they work together, and they 

 work with a will. With their jaws they cut, pinch, 



