30 TWO CHAPTERS ON ANTS. 



these ants congregated in the grass pulling 

 away at an earth-worm. About two inches 

 is unearthed, the remaining part is in the 

 ground. Several ants are removing the earth 

 from around the worm, while many others 

 are holding on to it to prevent its crawling 

 back. It is nine o'clock in the morning when 

 I first observe them. At three in the after- 

 noon a little more than four inches is un- 

 earthed, and two inches or more of this is 

 dead. There is considerable excitement 

 around the nest; they are evidently mak- 

 iug preparations for storing this huge mon- 

 ster. A company are carrying a stick into 

 the nest as thick as my little finger, and 

 Over an inch in length; they soon return 

 and take several smaller sticks, as if they 

 were building a new apartment. 



It is now four o'clock, and their progress 

 is so slow with the worm that I fear I shall 

 not see the termination of the unearthing, 

 so I take a small pair of forceps and assist 

 the workers in pulling the worm out. There 

 were about two inches remaining in the 

 earth, and I found I had to exert a little 

 strength in extracting it. This end is still 

 alive and squirming. The worm is very 

 large, full six inches in length. Much ex- 

 citement now prevails among the workers ; 



