THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 109 



fly sometimes mistakes persons sunk in the degrading 

 sleep of drunkenness for dead bodies. When they awake 

 the active ofi'spring of their assailant is already gnawing 

 their palpitating flesh, and making its Avay under the skin 

 of their cheeks and skull: a horrible invasion, which is 

 certain to end fatally. 



But it is especially in our forests and fields that the 

 track of insects leaves such lamentable marks. Their 

 legions descend in frightful numbers on certain plants and 

 trees. According to Eatzeburg the pine-tree alone serves 

 as a refuge for more than 400 species, the greatest part of 

 Avhich are hurtful to it ; and Charles Miiller tells us that 

 the oak extends its hospitality to iipwards of 200 animals 

 which are luiited to it by their parasitic existence. 



Certain velvet-Avinged Phalena;, notwithstanding that 

 their nocturnal flight seems so harmless, in a short space 

 of time devastate the most magnificent forests of Conifera% 

 and open out extensive clearings in their sombre shades 

 more quickly than the axe of the woodman. 



In some regions of Europe a little yellow fly streaked 



his nose and ears, from whence they had hollowed out paths between the skull 

 and the hairy scalp. The irritation and suppuration which they set up speedily 

 occasioned the death of this person. A case of death from this cause is also raeu- 

 tioned by Kirby and Spence. It occurred at Asbornby, Lincolnshire. 



At other times insects invade old sores, as was known in days of antiquity. 

 A cameo of beautiful workmanship and large size, found in Thrace, and repro- 

 duced by Choiseul, represents Philoctetes, wounded in the leg, the injured part 

 having been skilfully dressed, occupying himself with driving off, by means of a 

 pigeon's wiug, the flies which hover about his wound. — Choiseul, Voyage en Grece. 



In saying that an insect often causes the death of a man, we have only stated 

 a sad truth. The sucking Diptera, such as the gad-fly, the fiy, and gnat, after 

 sating themselves with the fluids of a corpse in a state of putrefaction, attack 

 man, introducing the germs of death by means of their lips tainted with pesti- 

 lential humours. The sting of these insects frequently produces gangrenous 

 affections, and especially malignant pustule, under which the patients succumb. 

 Several cases have been seen in the London hospitals of serious disease from irri- 

 tation set up by the Musca carnaria. — See Diet, des Sciences Med. t. xlvi. p. 258. 



