16 PLANTS AND INSECTS 
So, in spite of the struggles of his victims, he eats away to his heart’s 
content, often devouring both combatants^ 
Another curious insect is the scorpion, that venomous creature 
with a: sting in his long, slender tail. This creature has been immortal¬ 
ized in astronomy as the eighth sign of the zodiac, representing one of 
the constellations. 
Curious as it may seem, the most poisonous tropical spider injects 
a poison that does not trouble the victim until after it has started to 
course through the veins. This is the casambulga. At first the bite is no 
more painful than that of a harmless spider of our country; but in 
about three minutes most excruciating pains shoot through the body 
and paralysis will follow unless antidotes are right at hand. This 
spider is one of the most beautifully mjarked of the tropical arachni- 
dans, with a black body and gorgeous red! spots. 
I might go on indefinitely and tell you something of the life and 
habits of the tarantula, centipedes, zancudos, cucuyos, blister-beetles, 
etc., but there is one little tropical creature that is perhaps the most 
curious of all. His name is “chigoe,” and he is otherwise known as 
the jigger. You might say he is a flea, and that is correct. But his 
specialty is burrowing under the big toe of a native who goes bare¬ 
footed, laying eggs there; and these, when hatched, produce an itching, 
dangerous, running sore that may result in the amputation of the leg 
up to< the knee if neglected. Girlhood Days. 
THE SONG OF THE OLD OAK-TREE 
There is music in the treetops 
As they’re swaying to and fro; 
Seems to me I hear them singing 
Of the long, long ago 
When the red men idly wandered 
O’er these rugged vales and hills 
Listening to the voice of Nature 
As she murmured in the rills, 
To her echoes in the breezes 
As they shook the stately oak; 
Or beholding her excitement 
When an angry storm-cloud broke. 
