As no infefts exceed the termites in their wonderful ceconomyy
wife contrivances, and. ftupendous buildings, it will be proper to.
give the reader fome account o f them, which we are enabled to
do from the excellent paper defcribing them, which was written
by the late Mr. Smeathman, and publilhed in the Philofophicali
Tranfaftions for the year
The termites are reprefented by Linnaeus as the greateft
plagues o f both Indies, and are Indeed every way between the-
tropics fo deemed, from the vaft damages they caufe, and the-
Ioffes which are experienced, in confequence o f their eating and.
perforating wooden buildings, utenfds, furniture, &c. which are-
totally deftroyed by them, if not timely prevented ; for nothing
lefs hard than metal or ftone can efcape their molt deitruftivc-
jaws.
They have been taken notice o f by various travellers, in different
parts o f the torrid zone; and indeed, where numerous, as
is the cafe in- all equinoflial countries-and iflands that are' not'
fully cultivated, if a perfon has not been incited by curiofity to-
obfervethem, he muff have been very fortunate, who, after a-
fhort refidence, has not been compelled to it for the fafety of his,
property..
Thefe infefts have generally obtained' the name o f ants; it maybe
prefumed, from the fimilarity in their manner o f living, which
is in large communities, that ereft very extraordinary nefts, for
the molt part on the furface o f the ground ; from whence their
excurlions are made through fubterraneous paffages, or covered
galleries, which they build, whenever neceffity obliges, or plunder
induce
induces them to march above ground; and at a great diftance-
from their habitations, earry on a bufinefs of depredation and de-
ftruftion, fcaree credible but to-thofe who have feen it; But not-
withftanding they live in communities, and are like the ants omnivorous,
though like them-at a-certain period they are furnifhed
with four wings, and emigrate or colonize at the fame Teaforr,
they are by no means the fame kind o f infefts, nor does their
form correfpond with that o f ants-' in any one. ftate o f their
exiftence.
The termites refemble the ants alfo in their provident and
diligent labour, but furpafs them, as well as the bees, wafps,;-
bea-vers, and all other animals, in the arts of building, as much as.
the Europeans excel the leaf! cultivated favages. It is more than
probable theyrexcel them as much in fagacity, and the- arts o f
government; it is certain they Ihew more fubftantial inftances o f
their ingenuity and induftry than any other animals ; and do, in.
fa&, lay up vail magazines, of provifions and other ftores ; a degree
of prudence, which has of late years been, denied, perhaps!
without reafon, to the ants..
The communities conffft o f one male and one female, (who are
generally the common parents o f the whole, or greater part o f
the reft) and of three orders o f infefts, apparently of very different
fpecies, but really the feme, which together compofe great-
commonwealths, or rather monarchies.
The great Linnaeus having feen or heard o f but. two o f thefe
orders, has claffed the genus erroneoufly; for he has placed it
among the aptera, or infefts without w in g sw h e re a s the chief
order,.