THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 189 
the earth. A colony of these ants will clear a 
tract of ground some four or five feet in width 
around their city, and remove all plants, stones, 
and rubbish. A species of minute grain re¬ 
sembling rice is sown therein, and the field is 
carefully tended, kept free from weeds, and 
guarded against marauding insects. When ma¬ 
ture, the crop is reaped, and the seeds dried 
and carried into the nest. If this is done near 
another colony, the latter regard it as an intru¬ 
sion, and a fierce w'arfare results, which ends in 
the total destruction of one or the other side. 
“ ‘ The Texan ant removes any offensive mat¬ 
ter placed near its city, and carries it away. 
Ants who refuse to work are put to death. 
Prisoners are brought in by a fellow-citizen, 
and handed over in a very rough way to the 
guards, who carry off the offenders into the 
underground passages. 
“ ‘ Instances of sagacity and design might 
be easily multiplied. Careful observation has 
shown that the ants are improving as fast as 
their short term of life will permit them. They 
are becoming more wise and more civilized 
yearly. Each century marks advance. Who 
knows but that perhaps in the dim future they 
