io6 BIRD PARADISE 



pulverize the earth eighteen or twenty inches 

 deep ; these fellows multiply that depth three or 

 four times. I suppose they work night and day 

 at their task. But is it a task ? I never have 

 seen anything on their part that seems to indi- 

 cate it. If it be work then it is play also, and 

 the spirit of such a combination is the very 

 laughter of living. Sufficient unto the day is 

 everything that belongs rightfully to the day is 

 a prominent article in the earthworm's creed. 



Nearly every day I make the acquaintance of 

 some creature in my lawn or garden that I have 

 not met before. This morning as I was inter- 

 viewing the potato-bugs, a member of the beetle 

 family came from somewhere, saying in his mild 

 mannered way that he was a tenant of my small 

 domain and would enjoy being a little better ac- 

 quainted with the proprietor. Of course I as- 

 sured him that I knew of no reason why he 

 should not have place in my inheritance and not 

 only place, but daily bread and all the protection 

 that such a home provided. He certainly car- 

 ried with him the attitude of a listener, though 

 I discovered no full assurance that he understood 

 the real meaning of the welcome. To the nat- 

 iUi'al vision there is nothing very attractive in 



