New Walks in Old Ways 



I brought an ant into the house 

 the other day with a plant I had been 

 studying, and, as I was dissecting a 

 seedhead, he crawled out upon the 

 table and had a lot of fun with him- 

 self. He of course did not like cramped 

 quarters, and tried to get away, but 

 after I had brushed him back three or 

 four times he stood up perfectly erect, 

 looked around and mopped himself 

 with his "feelers," apparently engaged 

 in a real brown study as to where he 

 would try to go next. He pushed and 

 pulled some of my debris round and 

 round, navigating himself with the two 

 main propellers in the middle of his 

 body. These he worked with amazing 

 rapidity. I put him through a lot of 

 stunts, using my lead pencil, which he 

 heartily detested, as a directing force; 

 after which he gave himself a good 

 massage. He made his escape while 

 I was fussing with some thistle-down, 

 and I hope found his way back to the 

 woods in safety. 



[104] 



