112 LITTLE FOLKS 
Most of these little creatures have weapons to defend them- 
selves against their insect enemies, and some have weapons strong 
enough to protect them from boys and even men. 
The wasp and hornet are perfectly safe, with their powerful 
stings, you know. And one little atom of a bug, has a sting that 
will make a man lose his senses in five minutes, and make him so 
ill as nearly to kill him. 
Would you like to see an insect that carries a double whip, 
and lashes it furiously around to keep off flies and other trouble- 
some creatures ? You have only to catch a puss-moth (no relation 
to your pussy cat), and you'll see the little whipper. 
It is really wonderful what brave little warriors these tiny 
atoms are. 
A bee, or even an ant, will not hesitate to attack an elephant 
if he thinks his rights are trampled upon. And, by the way, an 
army of ants can kill large animals, even men, if their hands are 
tied so they cant defend themselves. 
The little warriors in the spider family are very spirited. 
They will show fight in an instant if a man interferes with their 
comfort. 
Not all these little creatures are fighters, however; there are 
several other ways of protecting themselves. One way is that 
taken by children who have done something naughty, and don't 
want to be found out — to hide. Some of these hiders cover them- 
selves with mud or sand, and when they keep still they look like 
tiny lumps of dirt. But the oddest of the hiding sort, is a bug that 
sometimes gets into houses. 
If you want to know his name, it is Rednvius Personatiis, and 
he isn't half an inch long either. Arn't you glad your name isn't 
three times as long as you are ? 
But I didn't tell you how he hides. He covers himself with 
dust of rooms, particles of carpet wool, and tiny threads of cotton 
and silk, till he looks like a walking dust heap, or an awful ugly 
spider ; but if he keeps still you can scarcely see him. 
Another, a tiny fly, with a long name, which I know you'll 
never remember, so I'll leave it in the grown-up books, hides him- 
self under a high pile of the skins and down of the smaller insects 
he eats. As if you should cover yourself with sheep-skins after 
eating mutton. If you take off this odd coat, and put him under 
a glass, or where he can't get insects to kill, he'll dress himself in 
