MINING A HOME 201 



build a house in a day or two. But it's a good thing they 

 are making more room. They will need it in two or three 

 months for eggs and babies. I was calling our ants lazy 

 about house building since they moved here, but I take it 

 all back. 



KENNETH. About a dozen went out and brought in 

 some saltgrass seed while the others were mining. 



ALBERT. Ours lived at the telephone pole six weeks 

 before they were driven away by the Robbers, and they've 

 lived here six weeks. I think they have concluded to fix 

 up this house right, and will now quit going back so often 

 to inspect the old one. They've given up the idea of mov- 

 ing back. 



CECIL. The other Harvester colonies around here have 

 room enough, for they're not mining much. This is the first 

 real mining ours have done at this nest. 



KENNETH. The Acrobats mined just like ours, after 

 the first rain. They scatter the dirt over a Avide space and 

 make runways through it. 



ALBERT. Since the rain all kinds of bugs and other 

 insects are out hustling around. The ground will soon be 

 green again, and they'll all be happy sow bugs, spiders, 

 insects and all. 



KENNETH. Spring is coming, for one of our ants 

 brought out a weed that had sprouted in the house. 



