24 Growth of Vegetables on the bodies of Animals. 
their own Cocoons, and afterwards that of their deceased 
prey. In this warfare of insects, it is stated as a fact, that 
one species of Ichneumon sometimes destroys the larva of 
another species of Ichneumon, ‘These occurrences furnish 
strong and instructive analogig * 
= 
another, apparently, among other purposes, for that of put- 
ting a mit to their own excessive multiplication. 
Upon investigating their history, there seems to be another 
check upon their inordinate increase. he fungous tribes 
of cryptogamic vegetables, seem, in various instances, the 
destroyers of the insect race. Their germs or seeds, convey- 
ed by the winds, or otherwise, to the surface of these crea- 
tures, find them to be situations or places, fit for their adhe- 
sion; and their tbe and bulk overpower the being upon 
which | they faste 
If it now sey be considered as certain, that a vegetable 
may grow upon the larva or crysalis of a wasp, and continue 
to increase until the change into the complete or imago-state, 
id. after, why may not the like happen to the larva and 
of the Sphynx and Melolontha? The proof, in the ac- 
tual condition of my information, is not so direct and conclu- 
sive, that the fungous adherents took possession of the latter, 
while they were yet alive. Nevertheless, the crop is much 
more abundant on the body of the Sphynx. Hence arises a 
strong presumption that the seeds were scattered on the back 
and sides of the larva, which was exposed every where, to 
their influence, and not incased and protected, as the young 
wasps are in their cells, Whereupon it might be inferred, 
‘would germinate and enlarge until after the beginning 
of the fourth oa aaa when they would probably over- 
come their supporte 
Dr. Maddiana, beticce thinks that in some Nees the 
vegetation commences only after life has ceased. In confir- 
mation of this opinion, he relates an occurrence in the ted 
of Trinidad, during 1811. He found a wasp (Vespa Mexi- 
cana) i in an apparently perfect condition, glued somehow, by 
one wing only, to the leaf of a tree. From all the of 
its body, issued filaments from one to three ee ian 
They were wholly different from the Spheria, being black, 
shining, and resembling the plant called Spanish Beard, or 
