A CURIOUS INDUSTRY.

Mataura Ensign, 25 January 1911, Page 3

A CURIOUS INDUSTRY.

H.ow would yon like to live in a house containing upwards of a hundred millions of ants? Yet these are friends and pets of an old man who lived some years ago on the borders of a little village in Keut. He has made the study, and rearing of the ant his lifelong business, and in four of the live rooms of his house lie lias—whs.t- shall I say?—hives of ants a!! busy at work, each hive containing tcuniiig thousands of these industrious and interesting little insects. There they are, as busy as you please and you can watch them through the glass roof making tl/eir ant hill, carrying great pieces of stick hundreds of times bigger than themselves; the sentinels on guard for fear of attack ; the queen in her guarded solitude; and the refreshment brigade hurrying back-, ! wards and forwards to the saucer where! •the little hesjp o.f sugar is, and carry-1 ! i-iv; i !!-.■ meals ta the \v;e kers. j j i' = >isno '• iMm't-limi? anions jhe'-'e! ■ ' .. iri ijk'V w.-niid A':'Hl L: I : ! lake ' S! >r ii eight-hours' (lay. li' an ant i | won't work tliev kill him off and cany) i him a u ;:y to the cemetery, outside tin ! ! j'.re'-ivct's <i! the nest. 'I he if Ii or ant.'j ! en:!! I .' off I-est in i"?is stale of confin-: - - i went, r er ihey are asvays waiting in' i".':idii:.. . ior a loe. a.id of course ; lie I foe lever comes, mile'-s the keeper, far a bK el" i ii . SLir-K-.- ki a f -v.- ; eef! "I'f-t'ier s e M cies, or throws a \va-j» in ' ama.vg 111 <■: a. 'i hen there is enter* ain - : ;..>I.. , ■ ' : • ■ : i . ;■ ■■ e'-Kee; kali ..i Is' e !": ere ;: is law'. i■a .a a;-; ; large ii timbers ol aags, and these are! r " s ' i ],! I 'iVJurn'i 1. i:W. if' ea'V-u-' k> ii-.-.-! 1 H-hwavs :i:i;l ia-a- - - !'.-:r i;;: ;s e:; i M'U'nt at iho kirim is i .ire :,a! ! ia ■ ->->'e,n 'lll Ilea /.I as a;-.:.; .a :a : ! ;> a. ia-. k. kiag itiju..': ;r 1 '• ; chawdif-rs, who sell iher.t ax •:!.' It is a stringe oeereataai, i ut there ! are many men who make a living sup-1 tliis commodity to the market. 1