Silver Wings And Golden Scales By One Of The Authors Of Poems Written For A Child

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1877 edition. Excerpt: ... impartiality is preserved in this march. Some ants must, of course, be at the head of the army, but after a time these turn round and retrace their steps to the rear, touching with their antennae and forehead any ants that they pass closely on the way. The next in rotation lead for awhile, and then act exactly as the first have done; and this curious process is continued till, if the journey is long enough, those who led at first find themselves once more in front. All these manoeuvres may delay the march a little, but in due time the army finds itself in front of the Negro fort. The sentinels guarding the entrances of the fort rush in to give the alarm, and then rush out again, followed with extraordinary rapidity by numbers of indignant ants, who fling themselves on the invaders with violence, the instant they ascertain what their intentions are. The resistance is brave and determined, but quite in vain. The Negroes are excellent workers, but the Red ants are the best soldiers. The attacking army presses into the fort, and for a few moments ANT BENDING A CORN-LEAF. disappears from sight. Red soldiers enter by the regular doors, or cut their way in through the walls, while some of the Black ants resist and fight, and others make their escape, carrying the old and sickly, and such of the children and, eggs as they can contrive to take with them. Presently, back march the invaders out of the fort; but they march not back alone. Here comes the great wonder, Lotty. Each man carries in his mouth an egg or larva of the Negro colony, and carries it not only out of the fort, but bears it triumphantly home. They never attempt to capture the grown-up ants--who, doubtless, would run away from them, and not do anything they were told--but, clever...