THE ICHNEUMON FLY. 129 



trees, and the eaves of houses. They are seen 

 every-where in great abundance, descending like 

 fruit, particularly pears, of which shape they are, 

 and as large as one's head. The inside is divided 

 into three round stories, full of cells, each hexa- 

 gonal, like those of a honeycomb. In some of 

 the islands, these insects are so very numerous 

 that their nests are stuck up in this manner scarce- 

 ly two feet asunder, and the inhabitants are in 

 continual apprehension from their accidental re- 

 sentment. It sometimes happens that no precau- 

 tions can prevent their attacks, and the pain of 

 their sting is almost insupportable. Those who 

 have felt it think it more terrible than even that 

 of a scorpion ; the whole visage swells, and the 

 features are so disfigured that a person is scarcely 

 known by his most intimate acquaintance. 



CHAPTER IV. 



OF THE ICHNEUMON FLY. 



EVERY rank of insects, how voracious soever, 

 have enemies that are terrible to them, and that 

 revenge upon them the injuries done upon the 

 rest of the animated creation. The wasp, as we 

 have seen, is very troublesome to man, and very 

 formidable to the insect tribe ; but the Ichneumon 

 Fly (of which there are many varieties) fears not 

 the wasp itself ; it enters its retreats, plunders its 

 habitations, and takes possession of that cell for 



VOL. VI. I 



