FLOWERS AND INSECTS 147 



hold more, and he applies himself to nurs- 

 ing with fresh vigor. Better to be en- 

 couraged than the ant, in such a case, is 

 the lady-bug, for she feeds on the young 

 of aphides. All of the lady-bugs we find 

 we carry to our yard, where we could find 

 work for a thousand. 



Do you suppose these " critters " talk ? 

 I am sure that some kind of understanding 

 exists among them. They seem a peace- 

 able lot, and when I have watched them 

 through a magnifier have never found a 

 riot going on. Their antennae seem to be 

 telling things to each other. That they have 

 audible speech I doubt; for if they had 

 they would use up more energy in it. 

 Speech has been called incipient action; 

 but it is n't. It is the best preventive of 

 action that ever was invented. It is the 

 safety-valve through which force discharges 

 itself the force which, if kept back in si- 

 lence, would set engines throbbing, and 

 rend away the crusts of custom. If an- 

 archists had the public squares for their 

 meetings, there would be no throwing of 

 bombs. Peaceful drinking of beer would 



