"What a curious picture that is at the head of this story." That
is what I think I hear some of the "Little Ones" say. "What does
it mean?" some one asks. It looks like a procession of ants. That
is just what it is. A procession of ants all marching off to find
a new home. Some one has destroyed their old one. Let us hope no
one did it on purpose.
The ants are very busy and very nice little creatures. If their
houses are stepped upon, or injured so as to be useless the ants
immediately go to work to repair damages. They do not sit down
and fuss about it first, but I have no doubt they let each other
know what they think. And how do you suppose they do this? By
touching each other with their tiny feelers.
After they have talked in this way, and decided what is to be
done some of them take the eggs from the ruins and carry them to
a safe place. Look carefully at the pictures, and you will see
that almost every ant is carrying an egg. They know that if they
lose the eggs all the young ants inside the eggs will be lost
too.
While ants do not seem to have a very keen sense of hearing,
their sense of smell is very strong. And where do you think it
lies ? In the same little feelers with which they talk to each
other. The first ant's house seen in the round picture has been
cut in two to show you how wonderfully these little creatures can
build.
It was made by the ants that live in tropical countries. The
house at the back of the picture has not been disturbed. Does
it not look as if an architect had planned it? Ask some of the
older people in your family to tell you something more about
ants. There is much more of interest in regard to them than I
have space to write you.