ABIDING CITIES 



191 



son with the interests of the community at large. 

 The individual exists for the estate alone, and 

 sacrifices her life and happiness, automatically as 

 it were, on behalf of her city. 



In No. 6 we see an illustration 

 of the great muscular strength 

 possessed by ants, especially in 

 their gripping jaws or mandibles. 

 Here, two comrades have got hold 

 of a dead and rigid prey, which 

 they are striving to carry off by 

 main force to the nest ; for ants 

 are omnivorous. They feed off 

 whatever turns up handy ; all is 

 fish that comes to their net 

 they seem almost indifferent 

 whether what they dine off is 

 honey or honeydew, a worm or a 

 beetle, a dead 

 bird or a de- 

 parted lizard. 

 A few workers 

 will seize what- 

 ever edible 

 object they 

 happen to find, 

 and combine 

 to drag it 



away, by pushing and pulling, to the underground 

 chambers. In this particular case the two ants 

 began by hauling together ; but the lower one, 

 giving one good tug with her jaws, has succeeded 



NO. 6. A LONG PULL, AND A STRONG PULL, 

 BUT NOT AM. TOGETHER. 



