

CHAPTEE XI. 



The Insect Tribes — a Forest Walk— An Ant's path— Their Habitation 

 ■ — Manner of Working— Queen Ant — Their System of Government 

 — Rules of Warfare — The Comijens — Their Distinctive Habits — 

 Butterflies — Moths — Tarantulas — Scorpions — Fire-Flies and Lan- 

 tern-Bugs — Sand-Flies and Fleas — Garapattas — Chigoe or Jigger 

 — Musketoes, &c. 



The inter-tropical regions have ever been recog- 

 nized as famishing the favorite abodes of the Insect 

 tribes, and the section tinder consideration has not 

 been neglected nor passed over by them. 



Imagine yourself, friendly reader, in company 

 with the writer, on an excursion into one of the deep 

 wilds of the Isthmus forest. The sun shines bril- 

 liantly, and the deep foliage, as you look up, seems 

 one vast transparency of varying green, garnished 

 here and there with gorgeous flowers, around which 

 the humming bird and humble bee are fluttering and 

 flitting away. The noisy chatter of a flock of paro- 

 quets has ceased, and it is only the occasional notes 

 of some one of the many songsters of the field that is 

 heard ; and all would be profoundly silent, were it 

 not for the murmur that is constantly falling plea- 

 santly upon the ear, the united melody of countless 



