THE DRAMA OF LIFE 51 



one respect their behaviour excites our admiration — the 

 behaviour of the male bird to his mate and offspring. 



When nesting-time comes, a hole in a tree is found, and 

 the wife goes in and shuts the door. From material which 

 she has gathered or which her husband brings she walls 

 herseK in — literally ' barring the door weel '. Only a small 

 opening — like the grille in the convent door — is left ; 

 perhaps it helps to keep snakes and other enemies out. 

 Through the window, however, the father feeds her, knock- 

 ing with his bill if she is not on the outlook ; as he clings 

 to the bark he is (if nature be not a mirage) obviously 

 anxious about his charge ; she sits safe minding her own 

 business, he works hard bringing succulent fruit, or tender 

 mouse, or juicy frog ; curiously enough he sometimes casts 

 up the lining of his gizzard with all its contents enclosed 

 — a strange votive offering on the family altar. We are 

 not surprised to learn that by the time the young bird 

 is ready to emerge the devoted father and husband ' is 

 worn to a skeleton '. The story is dramatic. 



Complications. — There is a novel by Turgenief called 

 A Friend of the Family in which are depicted some of the 

 disadvantages attendant on the guest out-staying his 

 welcome. But there are far more complicated problems 

 involved in the habit many ants have of being hosts to 

 beetles. To make the matter clear, a brief introductory 

 statement must be made. Just as we have or may have 

 in or about our houses five sets of living creatures — parasites 

 hke the homoeopathist's leech whose name of flea it is 

 impohte to mention, really inimical intruders hke rats, 

 more or less indifferent fellow-inmates hke the death- 

 watch, useful domestic animals like the cow, and pets hke 

 the cat, so ants may have in their nests parasites in the 



