SUN-PARLORS 161 



other town had over 1,600 nests on eighteen square yards, 

 or was this a single colony? 



FLORENCE. I wonder how they could make a living. 



ALBERT. I've been waiting to see how an ant makes 

 an earth pellet out of damp clay the kind of earth balls 

 the ants build their craters with. Well, today I saw one 

 work some mud back between the muscles of her forelegs 

 with her jaws and front feet. She pressed it into a ball 

 with her jaws between the muscles of her forelegs. When 

 the ball was big enough, she carried it away. 



Sun-Parlors. 



CECIL. I pushed my pencil on the ground and it went 

 into one of your sun-parlors. The roof was only a quarter 

 of an inch thick. 



KENNETH. One day I did the same thing, and six ants 

 rushed out the opening into the hot sun, but they couldn't 

 stand it long. 



ANT. You are mistaken. You just opened up an old 

 door that we had closed with clods a ventilator. Of 

 course, we could escape through it also, with our babies 

 and grain, if necessary. 



KENNETH. I believe I could crowd your whole colony 

 into a little box an inch long, high and wide. What do 

 you make such a big house for? 



ANT. Isn't your house larger than your family? 



KENNETH. WeU, I've repaired the sun-parlor I caved 

 in by placing a glass roof on it. I covered it with dirt to 

 keep the violet rays of the sun out so you can keep your 

 babies and eggs in it. I can wipe the dirt off when I want 

 to see what you are doing. 



ANT. Thank you. 



KENNETH. I see you have cleaned out the room and 



