Thofe which build either the roofed turrets, or the nefts in the
trees, feem, in moll inftances, to have a ftrong refemblance to
them, both in their form and ceconomy, going through the fame
changes from the egg to the winged iiate. The queens alfo in-
creafe to a great fize when 'compared with the labourers, but
very fhort o f thofe queens before defcribed. The largeft are
from about an inch to an inch and a half long, and not much
thicker than a common quill. There is the fame kind o f perif-
taltic motion in the abdomen, but in a much fmaller degree;
and as the animal is incapable o f moving from her place, the
eggs, no doubt, are carried to .the different cells by the labourers,
and reared with a care fimilar to that which is praflifed in the
larger nefts.
I ris remarkable o f all thefe -different fpecies, that the working
and the fighting mfefls never expofe themfelves to the open air,
but either travel under ground, or within fuch trees and fub-
ftances as they deftroy; except, indeed, when they cannot proceed
by their latent paflages, and find it convenient or necelTaay
to fearchfor plunder above ground: in that cafe they make .pipes
o f that material with which they build their .nefts. The larger
fortufe the red clay ; the turret builders ufe the black .clay; and
thofe whichbuild in the trees employ the fame ligneous fubftance
o f which their nefts are compofed.
The termites, except their heads, are exceedingly foft, and
covered with a very thin and delicate lkin ; being blind, they are
no match on open ground for the ants, who can fee, and are all
o f them covered with a ftrong homy fhell not eafily pierced, and
are of difpofitions bold, afilive, and rapacious.
Whenever
Whenever the termites are diflodged from their covered ways,
«he various fpecies of the former, who probably are as numerous
above ground as the latter are in their fubterraneous paffages, in-
ftantly feize and drag them away to their nefts, to feed the young
brood. The termites are, therefore, exceedingly felicitous about
the preferving-their covered ways in* good repair ; and if you de-
molilh one o f them for a few inches in length, it is wonderful how
foen they rebuild it. A t firft, in their hurry, they get into the
open part an inch or two, but flop fo fuddenly, that it is very-
apparent they are furprized : for though fome run ftrait on,
and* get under the arch as fpeedily as poflible in the further part,
moft o f them run as fall back, and very few will venture through
that part of the track which is left uncovered. In a few minutes
you will perceive them re-building the arch, and by the next
morning they will have reftored their gallery for three or four
yards in length, i f fo-much has been ruined; and upon opening
it again, will be found as numerous as ever, under, it, palling both
ways. I f you continue to deftroy it feveral times, they will at
length feem to give up- th'epoint, and build another in a different
dir.eaion ; but if the old one led to fome favourite plunder,
in a few days will rebuild it again; and, unlefs you deftroy their
neft, never totally abandon their gallery. They do confiderable
damage to houfes, Stc. They make their- approaches •- chiefly
under ground, defeending below the - foundations o f houfes* and
ftores at feveral feet from the furface, and riling again either in
the floors, or entering at the bottom of the polls, o f which the
fides.of the buildings are compofed, bore quite through them,
following the courfe of the fibres to the top, or making lateral
perforations and cavities here and there as they proceed.
'Yhile