78 TWO CHAPTERS ON ANTS. 



ill which they deposited the seeds I gave 

 them was at the bottom of the jar, and the 

 seeds were stored against the glass with 

 no intervening earth between : it contained 

 about a teaspoonful of millet. I gave this 

 chamber the right degree of beat and moist- 

 ure to sprout tbe seed by pouring a little 

 water down the side of tbe jar until it pen- 

 etrated the chamber, and then setting it 

 near the fire. Tbe ants soon appreciated 

 the condition of this store-room, and many 

 congregated tbere and seemed to be enjoy- 

 ing a feast. The next day the seeds were 

 all brought to tbe surface and deposited in 

 a little heap on one side of the jar, where 

 many of them grew, making a pretty little 

 green forest, which tbe ants soon cut down 

 and destroyed. This chamber remained 

 empty for three or four days, and was then 

 again refilled with fresh millet and apple 

 and croton seeds. 



I kept a small shell, which held about a 

 table-spoonful of water, standing in the jar 

 for the ants to drink from. For more than 

 a month the water was allowed to remain 

 clear, the ants often coming to the edge to 

 drink; but one day one was walking on the 

 edge of the shell, and carrying an apple- 

 seed, when she lost her footing and rolled 



