32 ' PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



of the devastation produced by the white ants, or Ter- 

 mites, the species of which constitute the first class 

 of perfect societies * ; I shall now relate to you some 

 farther particulars of their history, which will, I hope, 

 give you a better opinion of them. 



The majority of these animals are natives of tropical 

 countries, though two species are indigenous to Europe; 

 one of which, thought to have been imported, is come 

 so near to us as Bourdeaux. The fullest account hi- 

 therto given of their history is that of Mr. Smeathman, 

 in the Philosophical Transactions for 1781 ; which, since 

 it has in many particulars been confirmed by the obser- 

 vations of succeeding naturalists, though in some things 

 he was evidently mistaken, I shall abridge for you, cor- 

 recting him where he appears to be in error, and add- 

 ing from Latreille, and the MS. of a French natu- 

 ralist resident on the spot, kindly furnished by Professor 

 Hooker, what they have observed with respect to those 

 of Bourdeaux and Ceylon. The white ants, though they 

 belong to the Neuroptera order, borrow their instinct 

 from the hymenopterous social tribes, and in conjunction 

 with the ants [Formica) connect the two orders. Their 

 societies consist of five different descriptions of indivi- 

 duals — workers or larvae — nymphs or pupae — neuters or 

 soldiers — males and females. 



1. The isoorJcers or larvae, answering to the hymeno- 

 pterous neuters, are the most numerous and at the same 

 time most active part of the community; upon whom 

 devolves the office of erecting and repairing the build- 

 ings, collecting provisions, attending upon the female, 

 conveying the eggs when laid to what Smeathman calls 

 » Vol. I. 244, 



