176 THE UNIVERSE. 



ing them by the throat and killing them instantaneously, 

 drinking their blood at the same time. Hence in Columbia, 

 where these disagreeable guests are common enough, they 

 are called chicken-sjndeis} 



CHAPTEE V 



SLAVE-MAKERS AND WARLIKE TRIBES. 



When we search into the history of insects we are sur- 

 prised at finding such ardent passions in such fragile 

 creatures: hatred animates them; thirst for booty directs 

 them. To gratify these evil propensities, they fight bloody 

 battles and become transformed into land pirates. 



Man leads to the battle-field a ponderous troop of ele- 

 phants; insects go single-handed. The 6000 elephants 

 which Porus opposed to the triumphal march of Alexander, 

 only went forth to fight when guided by experienced hands; 

 whilst ants, left to their own resources, fight great battles, 

 and, incredible as it may seem, display a great deal of 

 strategy. 



cocoou three inches long and one broad. It is not certain whether it belongs to 

 the hunting or the working spiders. Madame de Murian's statement, that it 

 attacks the humming-bird, though at one time boldly denied, has been confirmed 

 in Bates' Naturalist on the Amazon, 'Ami iu the paper from which this note is 

 taken. — Termeyer, Proc. Essex Institute, U. S. — Tr. 



1 Though there is no specimen of this species iu the British Museum, there is, 

 in the case containing specimens of the Mtjgale or Aranea avicidaria, one the 

 body of which measures fully .3i inches long, broad and strongly made. It is a 

 most formidable-looking creature, and in point of bulk approaches the figure of 

 the chicken-spidei". No. 109. — Te. 



