SOME QUEER ANTS. 



155 



with them now, for they could not believe that an ant could do such 

 a thing. 



" Well," said Uncle Fred, " their parasols were not made of sUk 

 stretched over a wire frame. They were only pieces of leaves from 

 trees, and the ants held them in their mouths in such a way that 

 they covered their bodies entirely. You could not see the ants at 

 all, so the leaves looked as if they were marching along of their 

 own accord. The first time I saw any was in the West Indies. 

 One day, when I was riding with a friend out to his plantation, a 

 great swarm of these ants crossed our road. We watched them a 

 long time. It was a very queer- sight, I assui'e you. They did not 

 travel very fast. There must have been thousands and thousands 

 of them, for we could not see either end of the column." 



" Where were they going, I wonder? " said Johnny. 



" They were carrying the leaves to their nests. They do not eat 

 the leaves, but they are very fond of a fungus which grows on them 

 after they have been a little while in their underground nests. 

 These ants are very destructive, and do a great deal of damage. 

 Sometimes they will cut every leaf oflF a tree." 



" Don't we have any here?" asked Puss, who was much inter- 

 ested, and wished she could see some. 



" IS'o," said Uncle Fred. " We have some curious ants, but none 

 like those I have been telling you about." 







