AGRICULTURAL ANTS. 77 



mothers of new tribes, and leave tlie home of their 

 childhood, never again to return. 



They are now old enough, wise enough, and strong 

 enough to look out for themselves, and at the close of 

 a warm day in the fall of the year they may be seen 

 by thousands, swarming from the ant-hills and flying 

 away. 



"When a young queen ant has found a place that 

 pleases her for her future home, she breaks off her 

 wings — for she will indulge in no future flights — 

 settles down, and for a time works hard to make a 

 little home for her children ; she takes care of her 

 own young, feeds them, cleans them, and brings up 

 her first brood herself. When this is done her labors 

 are ended ; hereafter her children wait upon her and 

 upon each other as long as she lives. 



As for the male ants, they fly away on their travels, 

 and never return to their old homes or make new 

 ones. 



AGRICULTURAL ANTS. 



HOW ANTS MANAGE A FARM. 



Among insects, bees and ants are without doubt 

 the most skillful house-makers, and of these the latter 

 approach nearest mankind in the construction of their 

 dwellings. Indeed, if we can imagine a race of human 

 beings building their houses partly underground, as 

 do the tribes of northeastern Russia, and making 

 them sufficiently large to accommodate whole com- 



