136 



Marvels of Insect Life, 



be called the 

 wasp, and its 



Spaniards on the panes of glass. The jack-spaniard ^ may 

 wasp of the West Indies ; it is twice as large as a British 

 sting is in proportion more painful ; it builds its nest in trees and old houses, and 

 sometimes in the rafters of a room. These jack-spaniards were not quite such 

 easy prey as the cockroaches had been, for they used their wings, which not one 

 cockroach had attempted to do. Two jack-spaniards, hotly pursued on the window, 

 alighted on the dress of one of mv children. I entreated her to sit still, and remain 

 quiet. In an inconceivably short space of time a party of ants crawled upon her 

 frock, surrounded, covered the two jack-spaniards, and crawled down again to the 

 f^oor, dragging off their prey, and doing the child no harm. 



" From this room I went to the adjoining bed-chamber and dressing room, 

 and found them equally in possession of the chasseurs. I opened a large military 

 chest full of linen, which had been much infested ; for I was determined to take 



every advantage of such able 

 hunters. I found the ants already 

 inside ; I suppose they must have 

 got in at some opening at the 

 hinges. I pulled out the linens on 

 the floor, and with them hundreds 

 of cockroaches, not one of which 

 escaped. 



" We noN\' left the house, and 

 to the chambers built at a 

 distance ; but these also 

 in the same state. I next 

 proceeded to open a store-room at 

 the end of the other house for a 

 place of retreat ; but, to get the 

 key, I had to return to the under 

 room, where the battle was now 

 more hot than ever. The ants had 

 commenced an attack upon the 

 rats and mice, which, strange as it may appear, were no match for their 

 apparently insignificant foes. They surrounded them as thev had the 

 Insect tribe, covered them over, and dragged them off with a celerity and 

 union of strength that no one who has not watched such a scene can comprehend. 

 I did not see one rat or mouse escape, and I am sure I saw a score carried off during 

 a very short period. We ne.xt tried the kitchen, for the store-room was equally 

 the field of battle between rats, mice, cockroaches, and ants killing them. A 

 huckster negro came up selling cakes ; and seeing the uproar, and the family and 

 servants standing out in the sun, he said, ' Ah, misses, you've got the blessing of 

 God to-day, and a great blessing it is to get such a cleaning.' 



I think it was about ten when I first observed the ants ; about twelve the 

 battle was formidable ; soon after one o'clock the great strife began with the rats 

 and mice ; and about three the houses were cleared. In a quarter of an hour more 



' rolistes annularis. 



went 

 Httle 

 were 



Photo by] 



Jack-Spaniard." 



[E. Step, F.L.S. 



A common species of wasp in the West Indies is l;nown by this name. 

 Although it naturally builds in trees it is so familiar in its habits as to come 

 freely into the houses and to build there. The photograph shows it one 

 and a half times the actual size. 



