226 ANTS AND CHILDREN OF THE GARDEN 



attacked and whipped by something, and, of course, my 

 guess is Robbers, as they will attack any other ant. 



CECIL. Those driven from home make me think of 

 "The Man Without a Country." The number of wounded 

 ones make me think of the many dangers of ant life. 



When Ants Are Killed. Health Officers. Inspectors. 



DOROTHY. You don't pay any attention to ants that 

 are run over in the alley by autos, yet you will work for 

 days to rescue the body of a sister from the nest of some 

 other ant. I guess you have gotten used to the deaths that 

 happen by accident, I suppose you have babies enough to 

 more than take the places of those that are killed. 



ANT. As many die or are killed as are hatched, or else 

 there would soon be too many Harvesters 011 earth. There 

 are too many of some kinds of ants now. 



FLORENCE. I suppose you have health officers, you're 

 so particular about keeping everything so clean? 



ANT. Each ant is a health officer, and helps clean up 

 itself, other ants, and the house and premises, without 

 being driven to it by health officers, doctors, teachers and 

 street commissioners, as you must be. 



FLORENCE. Sometimes you seem to have inspectors 

 at your door. Several times I have seen ants stopped and 

 their loads examined. Some of the loads were then carried 

 into the house, but others back on the yard. 



ALBERT. Yes, and sometimes the examiner and worker 

 couldn't agree, for one would pull this way and another 

 that. They are just as likely to disagree over an insect as 

 over a seed. 



