Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 144.djvu/95

1888.] yellow. Of lazy habit, his legs trail feebly after him as he flies; and though in reality no less venomous than other wasps, it is rather as a crawling intruder than as an armed enemy that he is pursued and killed. This is the wasp proper. But there is a tiny species of wasp, of very different habit, of which the Indian gardener soon learns to beware. Seldom noticed alone, and often not discovered till too late, this lively little creature loves to build bee-like combs in your favourite garden shrubs, – crotons, poinsettias, or broad-leaved allamandas. Brushing past such a shrub in your walk, or trimming a luxuriant branch, you will quickly be made aware that you have trespassed on the preserves of an armed and revengeful tribe. Dashing out fearlessly in a body from the cover, and making straight for your face and neck and hands, they will sting you fiercely wherever the flesh is exposed, and will follow up the pursuit till you escape beyond their reach. The pain of the sting is sudden and severe, but not lasting, and in a few minutes the irritation passes away, but it is severe enough to teach you to be on the watch henceforth for a new ambush in the garden.

If you see a broad leaf slightly curved out of its natural position, your suspicions will be at once aroused. Coming nearer, you will see perhaps one or two stragglers of the tribe on the surface of the leaf or hovering near, and you will give that shrub a wide berth. But no night-watch is kept, and if you come stealthily at night you may snip off the branch with your shears and make good your retreat before the enemy has time to discover his assailant. In the morning the combs will be empty.

Need it be said that the spider too is here? Less gregarious and far less troublesome than ants or flies, spiders are no less various in shape, size, colour, and habit. Besides the airy species seen in the garden, with hair-like legs out of all proportion to their tiny bodies, and the glittering metallic spiders, whose monster webs stretch from tree to tree, there are two varieties with which one soon becomes well acquainted. One is a large brown spider with a body the size of a six-pence, and legs in proportion, usually seen only in the proper place for spiders, the corners of the ceiling. The instinctive dislike with which this creature is regarded is not without justification. If he runs over your skin he will cause a very painful inflammation, and his course will be marked by a red scar which lasts for many days. A commoner kind is a little harmless grey spider with black velvety marks. Of more active habit than most of his fellows, he is seldom seen brooding in a web waiting for unwary victims. His movements, too, are unlike those of other spiders. His legs are short and hardly seen; he hops as much as he runs; and altogether he seems to pass a more cheery and less exclusively bloodthirsty life than others of his kindred. I have more than once observed a spider of this kind haunt a looking-glass for many days together, and hop and run on the glass as if enjoying the reflection.

It is time now to notice a few of the insects which are more peculiarly characteristic of India – creatures which, unknown in Europe, are our daily companions in the far East. No man will be long in India before he makes the acquaintance of the fish-insect. This is one of those retiring but insidious foes which lie in wait for those who place any value on their household gods, and who relax for a day