PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 43 



distance of a foot or two from the columns many other 

 soldiers were to be seen, standing still or pacing abont 

 as if upon the look-out, lest some enemy should sud- 

 denly surprise their unwariike comrades : — other sol- 

 diers, which was the most extraordinary and amusing 

 part of the scene, having mounted some plants and 

 placed themselves on the points of their leaver, elevated 

 from ten to fifteen inches from the ground, hung over 

 the army marching below, and by striking their forceps 

 upon the leaf, produced at intervals the noise before 

 mentioned. To this signal the whole army returned a 

 hiss, and obeyed it by increasing their pace. The sol- 

 diers at these signal-stations sat quite still during the 

 intervals of silence, except now and then making a 

 slight turn of the head, and seemed as solicitous to keep 

 their posts as regular sentinels. The two columns of 

 this army united after continuing separate for twelve 

 or fifteen paces, having in no part been above three 

 yards asunder, and then descended into the earth by 

 two or three holes. Mr. Saieathman continued watch- 

 ing them for above an hour, during which time their 

 numbers appeared neither to increase nor diminish : — - 

 the soldiers, however, who quitted the line of march 

 and acted as sentinels, became much more numerous 

 before he quitted the spot. The larva; and neuters of 

 this species are furnished ^vith eyes. 



The societies of Tcrmes lucifugus, discovered by 

 Latreille at Bourdeaux, are very numerous ; but in- 

 stead of erecting artificial nests, they make their lodge- 

 ment in the trunks of pines and oaks, where the branches 

 diverge from the tree. They eat the wood the nearest 

 the bark, or the albuinum, without attacking the inte- 



