222 TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 



full growth. The cocoons are made out of a paper-like tissue, 

 and are soft and shining, and of a brown tint. 



A very beautiful Hyvmioptera renders immense service to 

 the inhabitants of the Islands Maurice and Bourbon, and they 

 only regret that the insect is rather uncommon. This CJUorion 

 compressiim constructs its nest very much like the Pelopmis, but 

 it does not hunt the same prey. All the seaport towns of those 

 colonies are infested with cockroaches, which do an infinitude 

 of mischief Fortunately, they have many enemies, and the most 

 terrible of all is the insect just mentioned. It is by no means 

 an unusual thing for a struggle to be witnessed between one of 



THE NEST OF Pelop(EtlS DETACHED AND SEEN FROM WITHIN. 



these agi^e SphegidcE and a cumbersome Blatta or cockroach^ 

 but it appears wonderful what use the small insect can possibly 

 make of the larger, and how it can manage to drag such a bulky 

 body into its small nest. 



The Chlorion may be seen hunting about here and there, and 

 up and down the roadside and gardens, searching for its favourite 

 prey. It spies out a cockroach, which appears to know intuitively 

 that there is danger at hand, for it shows symptoms of great 

 fright, and seems so confused that it cannot run away. *rhe 

 Chlorion pounces upon the insect, clasps it with its mandibles 

 between the head and the corselet, and stabs it in the body with 

 the sting. Then it flies off for a little distance, and awaits the 

 effects of the poison thus introduced : and when the convulsions of 



