306 Insect Architecture. 



" Some," we are told, " are as green as a leaf, and live upon 

 trees, where they build their nests of various sizes, between 

 that of a man's head and his fist. These nests are of a very 

 curious structure : they are formed by bending down several 

 of the leaves, each of which is as broad as a man's hand, and 

 gluing the points of them together, so as to form a purse. 

 The viscous matter used for this purpose is an animal juice 

 which nature has enabled them to elaborate. Their method 

 of first bending down the leaves we had no opportunity to 

 observe ; but we saw thousands uniting all their strength to 

 hold them in this position, while other busy multitudes were 

 employed within in applying this gluten that was to prevent 

 their returning back. To satisfy ourselves that the leaves 

 were bent and held down by the efforts of these diminutive 

 artificers, we disturbed them in their work ; and as soon as 

 they were driven from their stations, the leaves on which 

 they were employed sprang up with a force much greater 

 than we could have thought them able to conquer by any 

 combination of their strength. But, though we gratified our 

 curiosity at their expense, the injury did not go unrevenged ; 

 for thousands immediately threw themselves upon us, and 

 gave us intolerable pain with their stings, especially those 

 which took possession of our necks and hair, from whence 

 they were not easily driven. Their sting was scarcely less 

 painful than that of a bee ; but, except it was repeated, the 

 pain did not last more than a minute. 



" Another sort are quite black, and their operation and 

 manner of life are not less extraordinary. Their habitations 

 are the inside of the branches of a tree, which they contrive 

 to excavate by working out the pith almost to the extremity 

 of the slenderest twig, the tree at the same time flourishing 

 as if it had no such inmate. When we first found the tree 

 we gathered some of the branches, and were scarcely less 

 astonished than we should have been to find that we had 

 profaned a consecrated grove, where every tree, upon being 

 wounded, gave signs of life ; for we were instantly covered 

 with legions of these animals, swarming from every broken 

 bough, and inflicting their stings with incessant violence. 



