PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 31 



eggs to keep up the population to its proper standard. 

 In the case of the Termites, the office of working for 

 the society, as these insects belong to an order whose 

 metamorphosis is semi-complete, devolves upon the lar- 

 vae; the neuters, unless these should prove to be the 

 larvae of males, being the soldiers of the community. 



From this circumstance perfect societies maybe divided 

 into two classes ; the first including those whose workers 

 are larvcc, and the second those whose workers are neu- 

 ters'^. The white ants belong to the former of these 

 classes, and the social Hymenojitcra to the latter. 



Before I begin with the history of the societies of 

 white ants, I must notice a remark that has been made 

 applying to societies in general — that numbers are es- 

 sential to the full development of the instinct of social 

 animals. This has been observed by Bonnet with re- 

 spect to the beaver^; by Reaumur of the hive-bee ; and 

 by M. P. Huber of the humble-bee '^. Amongst hyme- 

 nopterous social insects, however, the observation seems 

 not universally applicable, but only under particular cir- 

 cumstances; for in incipient societies of ants, humble- 

 bees, and wasps, one female lays the foundations of them 

 at first by herself; and the first brood of neuters that is 

 hatched is very small. 



I have on a former occasion given you some account 



' I employ occasionally the term neuters, though it is not perfectly 

 proper, for the sake of convenience ; — strictly speaking, they may ra- 

 ther be regarded as imperfect or sterile females. Yet certainly, as 

 the imperfection of their organization unfits them for sexual pur- 

 poses, the term neuter is not absolutely improper. 



•> CEuv. ix. 163. 



•- M. P. Huber in Linn. Trans, vi. S50. Reaum. v. 



