NATURAL HISTORY. 497 



exposed. When an unwary insect approaches too near the 

 edge of the pit, the sand gives way, and down rolls the insect 

 into the very teeth of the concealed ANT-LION, who instantly 

 pierces its prey with its calliper-shaped fangs, and sucks cut 

 its juices through the jaws, which are hollow. Should, how- 

 ever, the Ant-lion miss its prey, and the insect endeavour 

 to escape, its captor instantly makes such a turmoil by 

 tossing up the sand with its closed jaws, and covering each 

 side of the pit with the moving grains, that the insect is 

 tolerably certain to be brought down to the bottom, and is 

 seized by the Ant-lion, who immediately drags it below the 

 sand. When the insect is very strong and struggles hard to 

 escape, the Ant-lion shakes it about as a dog does a rat, and 

 beats it against the ground until it is disabled. 



The TERMITES, or WHITE ANTS as they are very erroneously 

 called, belong to this order. These insects live in large soci- 

 eties, and build edifices, sometimes of enormous size, and al- 

 most as hard as stone. Twelve feet in height is quite common, 

 so that were we to compare our works with theirs, St. Peter's 

 in Rome, and St. Paul's in London, fall infinitely short of the 

 edifices constructed by these little creatures. The common 

 Termes bcllicosus, or warlike Termite, inhabits Africa. Not 

 only does it build these houses, but runs galleries underground, 

 as, curiously enough, although blind, it always works either at 

 night or in darkness. In each house or community, there are 

 five different kinds of Termites : 1. the single male, or king, 

 whose life is very short ; 2. the single female or queen : these 

 are the perfect insects, and have had wings, but have lost them 

 soon after their admission into their cell ; they also have eyes ; 

 3. the soldiers or fighting men : these possess large jaws, do no 

 work, but repel adversaries and watch as sentinels ; 4. the 

 pupa3, who resemble the workers, except that they possess the 

 rudiments of wings; and 5. the larvse, or workers. These do 

 all the icork, i. e. they collect food, attend to the queen, and 

 watch over the eggs and young, and build and repair their cas- 

 tle. These are more numerous than all the other kinds. 



On the approach of the rainy season, the pupae obtain wings 

 and issue forth in swarms. Few, however, survive. Myriads 

 are devoured by birds, reptiles, and even by man ; and many 

 are carried out to sea, and perish there. Those that do escape 



