^2 
hatched, would find, instead of a store of wholesome food, a mere mass 
of corruption. To avoid these two evils, the wasp stings her victim 
in such a manner as to pierce the centre of the nervous system, and 
the poison has the quality of paralyzing the victim without killing it. 
Thus deprived of all power of movement, but still alive, it remains 
some weeks motionless and yet fresh. 
But, perhaps the ants are the most remarkable of all. They tend 
their young, they build houses, they make wars, they keep slaves, they 
have domestic animals, and it is even said that in some cases they 
cultivate the ground. 
Nor must it be supposed that even now the habits of insects are 
anything like thoroughly known to us. In spite of Reaumur and De 
Geer, the two Rubers, and many other excellent observers, there is in 
this subject still a wide field for patient and conscientious labour ; 
the observations already made have been far from exhausting the 
mine, though amply sufficient to prove the richness of the ore." 
[J. L.] 
