ORDER IV. 



NEUROPTERA. 



Termitidae — White-ants. 



The Termites or Wliite-ants (which are ants only by a 

 misnomer) are found in both the Indies, in Africa, and in 

 South America, where they do vast damage, in consequence 

 of tlieir eating and perforating wooden buildings, utensils, 

 furniture, and indeed all kinds of household stuff, which are 

 utterly destroyed by them if not timely prevented. They 

 are found also in Europe, and, about thirty years ago, from 

 the extent of their ravages in the West of France, and par- 

 ticularly at Rochelle, caused considerable alarm. ^ 



There is a story commonly told, if not commonly credited 

 throughout India, of the Termites demolishing a chest of 

 dollars at Bencoolen, which is in a great degree cleared up 

 by the following anecdote introduced by Mr. Forbes in his 

 Memoirs : A gentleman having charge of a chest of money, 

 unfortunately placed it on the floor in a damp situation ; 

 and, as a matter of course in that climate, the box was 

 speedily attacked by the Termites, which hac^ their burrow 

 just under the place the treasure stood. Soon annihila- 

 ting the bottom, these devouring insects were not any more 

 ceremonious in respect to the bags containing the specie ; 

 which, being thus let loose, fell piece by piece gradually into 

 the hollows in the Termites' burrow. When the cash was 

 demanded, and not to be found, all were greatly amazed at 

 the wonderful powers, both of teeth and stomachs, of the 

 little marauders, which were supposed to have consumed 

 the silver and gold as well as the wood. But, after some 

 years, however, the house requiring repair, the whole sum 

 was found several feet deep in the earth ; and, thanks, the 



1 Baird's Ci/clop. of Hat. Sci. The species here referred to was 

 the Termes lucifuga. 



