NATURAL HISTORY. 113 



" Ah ! now we know what is coming. 

 You are going to tell us of a dumb animal 

 that can make a bridge." 



" Yes, I am : and a small animal it is, too, 

 for it is an ant." 



" What sort of an ant is it ?" 



" It is called the white ant ; and as there is 

 a great deal that is very curious about this in- 

 sect, I think that I had better tell you all about 

 it at once." 



"Pray do, Uncle Philip; you know you 

 promised to tell us about ants." 



" True, boys ; and I like to keep my prom- 

 ises. In my story about these ants, I think, if 

 you attend, you will find more tools ; and be- 

 sides that, you will hear of a great many 

 things which man makes, and which show 

 matters quite as strange as any of which I 

 have yet told you." 



" What are they, Uncle Philip?" 



" They are the building of something like a 

 city, and bridges, and stairs, and roads, and 

 tunnels under ground, and" 



" Oh, let us hear let us hear ! We have 

 heard nothing equal to this yet." 



"Well, then, I begin by telling you that 

 these insects are very common in Africa, 



