£68 ON ANIMAL COTTON, OR THE INSECT PLY-CARRIER. 



on one of an admirable fea-green, this fundamental colour re- 

 flects all its various (hades, according to the different undula- 

 tions of the animal, and the different accidents of light. 



The Sting of the Ichneumon Fly. 

 Immediate depo- This new decoration is the fignal of its tortures. Imme- 

 tboufends of diately a fwarm of ichneumon flies affail it. I think I am not 

 eggs in its body, miftaken when I aflert that there is not one of its pores that 

 has not one of thofe flies fattened to it. There is even no ne- 

 ceflity of making ufe of the microfcope to fee that he is co- 

 vered with them. 



In vain he ftruggles with all his might, raifes himfelf up- 

 right to get rid of his cruel tormentors — He muft fubmit. 

 Thofe flies, of the fmalleft fpecies, and which can only be 

 (tudied by means of the microfcope, drive their (lings into the 

 ikin of their victim, over the whole extent of his back and 

 fides. Afterwards, and all at the fame time, they flip their 

 eggs into the bottom of the wounds which they have made. 



After having performed this dreadful operation, the ichneu- 

 mon flies difappear, and the patient remains for an hour, in 

 a drowzy and even motionlefs flate, out of which he awakens 

 to feed with his former voracity. Then he appears much 

 larger, and his fize increafes every day. His green colour 

 aflumes a deeper hue, and the tints produced by the reflection 

 of the light are more ftrongly marked. The animal in this 

 ftate of factitious pregnancy, if I may fo exprefs myfelf, is 

 worthy of all the attention of the obferver of nature. 



I (hall not undertake the defcription of the ichneumon fly, 

 it is well defcribed in the books. If I have obferved a dif- 

 ference, it is the fame which exifts between the European 

 gnat and the mufquitoe of hot regions, that is to fay, that our 

 Weft-India flies are of a letter fize. 



I have now to defcribe the operation which the ichneumon 

 flies, which are extremely fmall, perform at the very moment 

 of their coming into the world; you will judge, gentlemen, 

 whether this exprefiion is accurate. 



Animal Cotton. 



Fibrous produe- A fortnight after the ichneumon flies have thus cruelly de- 

 tions called pofited their eggs by perforating the unfortunate caflada-worm, 

 ™ m c ° that 



