420 NATURAL HISTORY OF ARABIA. 



Another scourge of Arabia, and of hot countries in gen- 

 eral, is a small insect named arda (Termes falale, Linn.), of 

 the bulk of a grain of barley. On account of some general 

 resemblance, this insect is represented as an ant. Its instinct 

 disposes it to travel only by night ; it forms a sort of gallery 

 or mine in the earth ; and, after reaching the end of its jour- 

 ney, it destroys every thing, — victuals, clothes, and furni- 

 ture. At Beit el Fakih, the Danish travellers were griev- 

 ously annoyed by them ; they invaded their chambers, and 

 persisted in their attacks with singular obstinacy. They are 

 very destructive to trees, the sweetness of whose leaves and 

 fruit is extremely gratifying to them. To preserve their gar- 

 dens from ruin, the natives are obliged to surround the trunks 

 with sheep's dung, the smell of which this insect cannot en- 

 dure. In Arabia there are many species of ants, all of which 

 are harmless, except two ; one of these attacks the natives, 

 and its bite is little less painful than that of the scorpion ; 

 the other settles upon their -vnctuals with great avidity, and 

 can only oe driven away by the odour of camphor. They arf 

 likewise much infested by a sort of scolopendrar which tor- 

 ments with a burning pain those on whom it fixes. This 

 insect inserts its feet into the flesh, so that it is impossible to 

 get rid of it, otherwise than by successively burning all the 

 parts affected with a hot iron. Another venomous insect, 

 resembling a spider, which infests the deserts, is that to which 

 the Bedouins give the name of abou havekein, or the two-^ 

 mouthed. Its length is about three inches ; it has five long 

 legs on both sides, covered like the body with satcE or bris- 

 tles, of a light-yellow colour. The head is long and pointed, 

 with large black eyes ; the mouth is armed with two pairs 

 of fangs, one above the other, recurved and extremely sharp. 

 It makes its appearance only at night, and is chiefly attracted 

 by fire. The Arabs entertain the greatest dread of them ; 

 their bite, if not always mortal, produces vomiting, swelling, 

 and the most excruciating pains. Among the tenebriones is 

 one species which destroys reeds and attacks the stalks of 

 corn, where it deposites its eggs. Another tenebrio, found 

 among the filth of gardens, is used as an article of female 

 luxury Plumpness being thought a beauty in the East, both 

 the Turkish and Arab women, in order to obtain this envi- 

 able obesity, swallow every morning and evening three of 

 the«e insects fried in butter. 



