mouths, just as the pigeon, or the dove, feeds its young. 6. "But this is not all that the busy workers have to do. They must gather all the food, not only for themselves, but for the lazy winged ants also. And, besides, they must see that the eggs, the little grubs, and the cocoons, are kept just warm enough all the time. If it be a cold day, they carry them down into the lower chambers of the dwelling; and in warm weather they bring them into the upper rooms. 7. "But these workers manage to get some time for play also; for on fine sunny days they may be seen in crowds, running about on the outside of their nests, patting one another with their feelers,b rising upon their hind feet, and wrestling, pretending to bite, but never injuring one another when in play. 8. "Although ants kill, and feed upon, mostkinds of insects, there is one kind which they treat in the most friendly manner. These are the little insects commonly known as plant-lice, on whose bodies may be found a sweet juice called honeydew, which the ants are very fond of. Here is a picture of two or three kinds of these insects, with their friends, the ants. 9. "The ants often climb the highest trees, and b search for these little creatures among the leaves; and when they find them they caress them tenderly, patting them gently with their feelers, and sucking the honey-dew from their bodies. They never harm them in the least. 10. "But I have something quite as curious to tell you about the wars of the ants; for some kinds of the ants go out in plundering bands, and make war upon their neighbors for the purpose of obtaining slaves. 11. "They do not carry off full-grown ants, however, but only the little grubs, or infants. These they carry home, and treat with the kindest care; but when they are grown up, they are kept as workers, and they do all the household drudgery in their new homes. They seem to work very wil lingly; and they even help fight the battles of the colonies to which they belong. They never seem to dream that they were stolen! 12. "But ants sometimes make war upon one another for the purpose of conquest, and to get possession of the dwellings of their neighbors. I will give you an account of one of their battles; although you yourselves may see something of the wars of these insects, if you will look carefully for the ant-hills in our pine-woods, almost any pleasant day in the latter part of summer. 13. "The battle which I am going to tell you of, was between two nests of brown ants on the one side, and five nests of black ants on the other. 14. "First, the brown ants came down from their hills, and took their places on the plain, in a single line of battle. Then the much more numerous, but smaller black ants, marched down from their hills, and took their places fronting their enemies, in three lines of battle; but on their right wing they had a body of several hundred warriors, and on their left wing a mass of nearly a thousand. 15. "Soon the fighting began, and the battle was carried on with great fury on both sides; for the jaws of the ants are powerful weapons. Soon heads, and headless bodies, and torn-out feet and legs, could be seen lying all over that little battleground. 16. "After nearly two hours' fighting, in which great numbers were slain, the battle ceased; when all that were left of the brown ants fled. Then the black ants took possession of the dwellings of their enemies, carrying along with them their wounded fellow-soldiers." 17. The children were very much interested in what Uncle John had told them about the ants: it was all new to them, and so wonderful, too! "These," said he, "are only a few of the strange things that are now well known about these curious insects. Thus every part of God's creation is found, when we examine it closely, to be filled with wonders! Even an ant-hill is a little world with. in itself!" a Co-Coon', see page 170. b FEEL-ERS, called an-ten'-no; the two long, movable organs on the heads of most insects. C PLANT-LICE. Their correct name, in the plural, is aph'-i-dēs; singular, a'-phis. There are many species of them. [LESSON XCIV. continues the history of ant-life. The labors of the ants in taking care of their young. In addition to what is here mentioned, the little eggs, grubs, and cocoons, require to be kept constantly moist by the saliva of the workers; otherwise they would dry up, and perish. The ants at play. The aphides, or plant-lice. Plundering expeditions of the ants, to provide themselves with slaves, or workers. Their wars for conquest. Account of a battle. Every part of creation filled with wonders.] LESSON XCV. THE CHILD'S PRAYER. 1. Into her chamber went A still small voice she heard 2. "I pray Thee, Lord," she said, To tarryb in my heart, And ever be my friend. The path of life is dark' I would not go astray': "Fear not'; I will not leave 3. "They tell me, Lord, that all Oh, let my parents live "Fear not, fear not, my child'! Until I bring thee home'!" 4. Her little prayer was said'; 'Fear not, fear not, my child'! Until I bring thee home'!'" a CON-DE-SCEND', be willing. d OR -PHAN, a child who has lost its par ents. e E'ER, ever. [LESSON XCV. is a touching description of a little girl's prayer. She prays that the Lord will draw near, and make his presence known to her -that he will dwell in her heart-lead her in the right way-preserve the lives of her parents, etc. Although she can not see the Lord with her natural eyes, she looks upward with the eye of faith, and believes that her prayer will be heard and answered.] THE RECORD OF LIFE. The record of life runs thus: Man creeps from infancy into childhood-bounds into youth-sobers into manhood-softens into age-totters into second childhood, and stumbles into the grave prepared for him. THE END. |