KINGS 137 



CHAPTER IX. 



September 15 to October 18. 

 Kings. 



KENNETH. I see many dead kings around here lately. 

 I suppose that is because they all die as soon as they take 

 their first flight. 



ALBERT. Why do you say so little about your kings 

 and so much about your queens? 



ANT. Because there is nothing to say about the kings. 

 Notice what Kenneth just said. Queens may live for years 

 after taking their first and only flight, and go on laying 

 eggs and governing colonies. 



King of Black Harvester Ant. 



ALBERT. I think you might at least say that kings 

 have good eyes, good eyesight and good feelers. With 

 their three small eyes on top of their heads, they are sup- 

 posed to see things close by. 



CECIL. Our workers carried out four kings this morn- 

 ing. They were all alive, but only one could walk. A 

 worker tried to cut or break a wing off one of the kings. 



