xlviii JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 



It is however surprising, considering the number of flies which abound 

 on the sugar estates, and how often the negroes sleep in the open air, 

 that similar incidents do not occur more frequently. 



The Cockroach. — This is the most annoying of the insect tribes in 

 Jamaica, devouring leathern articles of all kinds which have been 

 used, such as saddles, harness, gloves, boots and shoes, &c. ; they 

 devour the bindings of books after they have been handled, and any 

 perspiration has adhered to them ; they crawl over and eat fruit and 

 vegetables, dropping their egg-cases, and leaving their faeces and 

 an intolerable stench wherever they travel ; they also eat the corks 

 of bottled wine, cider, and porter, causing the liquid to escape ; this 

 may however be prevented by dipping the corks in a thick mixture of 

 quick-lime and water, the latter being occasionally impregnated with 

 the bitter of quassia. They harbour in empty bottles, which are ren- 

 dered not only difficult to clean, but almost impossible to sweeten 

 again. They also eagerly devour parchment, which material is con- 

 sequently never used for wills, deeds, conveyances, or other legal 

 documents, which the insects would very quickly destroy. They have 

 a great dislike to castor oil, which is accordingly rubbed over boots, 

 shoes, and other leather articles to protect them from their attacks. 



6. Black Spider. — There is a spider in Jamaica the bite of which 

 is venomous, being speedily followed by inflammation, with pain and 

 swelling of the wounded part : the natives are consequently much 

 afraid of it. It is of small size, the body not being larger than a 

 small pea, with short legs. It is entirely black except a spot of 

 bright scarlet upon the head, rendering it so conspicuous, and at the 

 same time so repulsive, that a person unacquainted with its venom- 

 ous properties would instinctively shrink from it ; a peculiar and 

 interesting provision of nature observed in many obnoxious animals, 

 whereby, as St. Pierre and others have remarked, mankind are put 

 on their guard against their attacks, from some peculiarity of form, 

 colour, sound, or other disgusting quality. 



7. Silk-worm. — The peculiar stationary habits of the silk- worm, 

 and the sluggish nature of the moth, which can scarcely be said to 

 possess the powers of flight, are here commented upon as interesting 

 circumstances in connexion with the more easy management of the 

 insect, thus beautifully harmonizing with its vast importance to 

 mankind. 



Mr. Stephens informed the meeting that, M'ith respect to Mr. Saun- 

 ders's communication, he had not unfrequently observed the suspen- 

 sion of stones in spiders' webs, and that in the course of last autumn 

 he had seen three in one day in his garden at South Lambeth. 



