134 LEAVES FROM THE BOOK OF NATURE. 



the hollow of the reed, and living on what they find 

 swimming on the surface of the water. Another curious 

 lodger of a South American plant is the famous cochineal 

 bug, well known from the precious red color that bears 

 its name, and which it draws from a certain cactus until 

 its body becomes impregnated with brilliant scarlet. It 

 is probably the most sedentary of all insects, making but 

 one short journey in early life, and then settling down 

 for ever upon one and the same spot. As soon, namely, 

 as the young insect leaves its egg, it manifests great ac- 

 tivity and a restless desire to travel. But alas ! it finds 

 itself upon a prickly, thorny stem, hanging high in the 

 air, and in contact with no other. But nature soon comes 

 to its aid, and sends a small spider to spin a silken 

 thread from branch to branch. Upon this slender, trem- 

 bling bridge the young cochineal wanders boldly out to 

 a new world, seeks a promising spot, deliberately sinks 

 its fragile trunk into the juicy leaf and never draws it 

 back again, drinking, drinking, like a toper as he is, through 

 his whole existence. 



Even larger inhabitants are often found on quite small 

 plants. Thus England produces a slight but well sup- 

 ported thistle, which is frequently found to bear little 

 elaborate nests, a few inches above the ground. These 

 contain not insects, but mice, though of the smallest 

 variety known, and are occasionally large enough to hold 

 as many as nine young ones, carefully stowed away and 

 well secured against all enemies and dangers. 



Birds seem, of course, the most natural lodgers of 

 plants; they find there abundance of nourishment, all the 



