38 
TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON. 
\_July, 
them that it is useless planting anything. No means of 
destroying them are known, their numbers being so im- 
mense, as may readily be seen from the great quantities 
of earth they remove. 
Many different kinds of wasps’ and bees’ nests are 
constantly met with ; but we wxre rather shy of meddling 
with them. They are generally attached to the under- 
sides of leaves, especially of the young Tucuma palm, 
which are broad, and offer a good shelter. Some are 
little flat domes, with a single small opening ; others have 
the cells all exposed. Some have only two or three cells, 
others a great number. These are all of a delicate papery 
substance ; but some have large cylindrical nests, on high 
trees, of a material like thick cardboard. Then again 
there are nests in hollow trees, and others among their 
roots in the earth, while the solitary species make little 
holes in the paths, and pierce the mud-walls of the 
houses, till they appear as if riddled with shot. Many 
of these insects sting very painfully ; and some are so 
fierce, that on their nests being approached, they will 
fly out and attack the unwary passer-by. The larger 
kinds of wasps have very long stings, and can so greatly 
extend their bodies that we were often stung when endea- 
vouring to secure them for our collections. 
I also suffered a little from another of om* insect ene- 
mies : the celebrated chigoe at length paid us a visit. 
I found a tender pimple on the side of my foot, which 
Isidora pronounced to be a “ bicho do pe,” or chigoe ; so 
preferring to extract it myself, I set to work with a needle, 
but not being used to the operation, could not get it out 
entire. I then rubbed a little snuff in the wound, and 
