CHAPTEE V. 



PAEASITES. 



" En plongeant si bas dans la vie, je croyais y rencoutrer les fatalitis 

 physiques, et j'y trouve la justice, I'immortalite, l'esperance." — Michelet, 

 I'Insecte, 



The parasite is he whose profession it is to live at the 

 expense of his neighbour, and whose only employment 

 consists in taking advantage of him, but prudently, so 

 as not to endanger his life. He is a pauper who needs 

 help, lest he should die on the public highway, but who 

 practises the precept — not to kill the fowl in order to get 

 the eggs. It is at once seen that he is essentially 

 different from the messmate who is simply a companion 

 at table. The beast of prey kills its victim in order to 

 feed upon his flesh, the parasite does not kill; on the 

 contrary he profits by all the advantages enjoyed by 

 the host on whom he thrusts his presence. 



The limits which separate the animals of prey from 

 the parasite are usually very clearly marked; jat the 

 larva of the ichneumon, which eats its nurse, piece 

 after piece, resembles a carnivorous animal as much as 

 a parasite. There are indeed certain animals which 

 take advantage of the good condition of their Amphi- 



