INDIRECT INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS. 227 



settles her colonies in them, which multiply incredibly. 

 Other substances, more unlikely, do not escape from our 

 pygmy depredators. Thus Reaumur tells us of a little 

 moth whose larva feeds upon chocolate, observing very 

 justly that this could not have been its original food 3 . 

 Both a moth and a beetle (Dermestes surinamensis, L.) 

 were detected by'Leeuwenhoek preying upon two of our 

 spices, the mace and the nutmeg b . The maggots of a fly 

 (Musca cellaris, L., Oinopota cellaris^ K.) are found in 

 vinegar, in the manufactories of which the perfect insects 

 swarm in incredible numbers ; and sometimes even water 

 in the casks of ships, in long voyages, so abounds with 

 larvae of this tribe as to render it extremely disgusting. 

 Browne, in his History of Jamaica, mentions an ant 

 [Formica omn'wora, L.) that consumes or spoils all kinds 

 of food ; which perhaps may be the same species that 

 has been observed in Ceylon by Percival, and is de- 

 scribed by him as inhabiting dwelling-houses, and speedi- 

 ly devouring every thing it can meet with. If at table 

 any one drops a piece of bread, or of other food, it in- 

 stantly appears in motion as if animated, from the vast 

 number of these creatures that fasten upon it in order 

 to carry it off. They can be kept, he tells us, by no 

 contrivance from invading the table, and settling in 

 swarms on the bread, sugar, and such things as they 

 like. It is not uncommon to see a cup of tea, upon be- 

 ing poured out, completely covered with these creatures, 

 and floating dead upon it like a scum c . 



In some countries the number of flies and other in- 

 sects that enter the house in search of food, or allured 



a Reaum. iii. 276. b Leeuwenh. Epist. 99. c Ceylon, 307. 

 o 2 



