TERMES. 
417 
four wings witliout any sting, it belongs to the 
Neurofitera ; in which class it will constitute a 
new genus of many species. 
The different species of this genus resemble 
each other in form, in their manner of living, and 
in their good and bad qualities; but differ as much, 
as birds in the manner of building their habita- 
tions or nests, and in the choice of the materials 
of which they compose them. 
. There are some species which build upon the 
surface of the ground, or part above and part be- 
neath, and one or two species, perhaps more, that 
build on the stems or branches of trees, sometimes 
aloft at a vast height. 
“ Of every species there are three orders; first, 
the working insects, which, for brevity, I shall 
generally call labourers; next the fighting ones, or 
soldiers, which do no kind of labour; and, last of 
all, the winged ones, o\' perfect insects, which are 
male and female, and capable of propagation. 
These might very appositely be called the nobility 
or gentry, for they neither labour, or toil, or fight, 
being quite incapable of either, and almost of 
self-defence. These only are capable of being 
elected kings or queens; and nature has so ordered 
it, that they emigrate within a few weeks after 
they are elevated to this state, and either establish 
new kingdoms, or perish within a day or two. 
The Termes bellicosus being the largest spe- 
cies is most remarkable and best known on the 
coast of Africa. It erects immense buildings of 
well-tempered clay or earth, which arc contrived 
27 
V. VI. P. II. 
