132 ORIGIN OF SOCIETY. CANTO iv. 



The cruel larva mines its silky course, 



And tears the vitals of its fostering nurse. 



While fierce Libellula with jaws of steel 



Ingulfs an insect-province at a meal; 



Contending bee-swarms rise on rustling wings, 



And slay their thousands with envenom'd stings. 40 



" Yes! smiling Flora drives her armed car 

 Through the thick ranks of vegetable war; 



cocoon like a silk Avorm ; these cocoons are about the size of a small 

 pin's head, and I have seen about ten of them on each cabbage cater- 

 pillar, which soon dies after their exclusion. 



Other species of ichneumon insert their eggs into the aphis, and 

 into the larva of the aphiclivorous fly: others into the bedeguar of 

 rose trees, and the gall-nuts of oaks; whence those excrescences seem 

 to be produced, as well as the hydatides in the frontal sinus of sheep 

 and calves by the stimulus of the larva; deposited in them. 



While farce Libellula, \. 37. The Libellula or Dragon-fly is said to 

 be a most voracious animal; Linneus says in their perfect state they 

 are the hawks to naked winged flies; in their larva state they run 

 beneath the water, and are the cruel crocodiles df aquatic insects. 

 Syst. Nat. 



Contending bee-swarms, 1. 39. Stronger bee-swarms frequently at- 

 tack weak hives, and in two or three days destroy them and carry- 

 away their honey; this I once prevented by removing the attacked 

 hive after the first day's battle to a distinct part of the garden. See 

 Phytologia, Sect. XIV. 3. 7. 



