NATURAL HISTORY. 133 



matter whether they are animals, or stones, 

 or grass, or flowers, or any of the things 

 which God has made. Mark, boys, I said to 

 study the things, and you said to study about 

 the things. Now a person may read a great 

 deal that is interesting and true about all 

 these things in books ; and it is very well to 

 do so ; but I think that the real naturalist 

 will never be satisfied with books only ; he 

 will be looking to see things for himself. And 

 I said a woman might be a naturalist, because 

 some ladies have been fond of natural history, 

 and have proved themselves to be very good 

 naturalists. But let us go back to the ants. 

 Mr. Huber, in the account which he gives of 

 his having watched these little workmen, 

 never thought of telling us whether he got 

 wet or not, because he was too busy to think 

 or care much about it. He had an oppor- 

 tunity of seeing what he might never see 

 again, and a little rain was not to spoil it. 

 He says that each ant, as it brought out its 

 little lump of dirt, would place it on the spot 

 where it wished it to be, and press against it 

 with its teeth, so as to make it fit closely. It 

 then rubbed its feelers all over it, and after 

 that pressed upon it lightly with its fore-feet. 



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