THE ANT LION 121 



ANT. Why don't you wait until I'm done? While some 

 ants have division of labor, our workers can do any of 

 these things. 



ALBERT. Well! Jack of all trades, aren't you? But 

 when you've started to do one thing you don't like to 

 change off to another. 



ANT. Maybe we'll develop castes that can do but one 

 kind of work each, after we've been on earth longer. But 

 I'm afraid we shall lose by it rather than gain. Has a 

 man gained much when he can't do anything but punch a 

 button? Our king is a sample of a caste. Look how 

 helpless he is. 



ALBERT. Well, don't get excited. 



ANT. The Honey ant has division of labor. With some 

 other ants the occupation changes with age nurse, for- 

 ager, warrior, guard and even mother as the ant passes 

 from youth to old age. 



The Ant Lion. 



KENNETH. What's an Ant Lion? 



ANT. It's a big-jawed baby of a winged insect, that 

 makes a funnel shaped hole in sand or decayed wood for 

 us to fall into and be eaten. 



KENNETH. I suppose the sand rolls under your feet 

 when you try to climb out. You oughtn't to kick about 

 this, for I think that you sometimes use your crater as a 

 trap for this same purpose. 



CECIL. The baby ant lion lives at the bottom of the 

 funnel. I saw one run its long jaws out and grab a fly that 

 had dropped into the trap. 



ALBERT. I saw a dozen such traps the other day. I 



