ANT-HILL. 



109 



Underneath a large fir-tree was a big conical heap of straw 

 and leaves. Upon examination it was found to be swarming 

 with large chestnut-coloured ants. It was a nest of the wood- 

 ant, and thousands of the tiny creatures were busy dragging 

 straws and sticks to build up the nest, or grains of wheat or 

 other food. It was a grand feast for the wryneck, which had 

 been picking up the ants' eggs, and carrying them to its young 

 ones. The boys stood for some time looking at the busy heap, 

 until from looking at the whole together they came to selecting 

 particular ants and speculating on their destination, for every ant 

 had a purpose in going and coming. One about a foot from 

 the hill was tugging a piece of straw which was evidently too 



WORKING ANT AND PORTION OF ANT-HILL. 



large for him to pull along unassisted, so he left it, and pre- 

 sently returned with a companion, and the two together man- 

 aged to take the straw along capitally, Dick was much struck 

 with this incident, which looked more like reason than instinct. 

 And he would have stayed longer watching the ants, had not 

 Jimmy been in a hurry to climb up to the wryneck's nest, and 

 he could not do without Dick's help, who had to give him a 

 back. When he got up he very nearly came down again, so 

 startled was he to hear a loud hissing in the hole like that of a 

 snake. The wryneck flew off, and as there could not be a 

 bird and a snake together in the hole, he concluded that the 



