ANTS. 47 



Termes, or White Ant. 



Behaviour of the Soldiers, when their Gar- 

 rison is attacked. 



The first object of admiration which strikes 

 upon opening their hills, is the behaviour of 

 the soldiers. If you make a breach in a slight 

 part of the building, and do it quickly with 

 a strong hoe or pick-axe, in the space of a 

 few seconds a soldier will run out, and walk 

 about the breach, as if to see whether the 

 enemy is gone, or to examine what is the 

 cause of the attack. He will sometimes go 

 in again, as if to give the alarm ; but most 

 frequently, in a short time is followed by a 

 large body, who rush out as fast as the breach 

 will permit them ; and so they proceed, the 

 number increasing, as long as any one conti- 

 nues battering their building. It is not easy 

 to describe the rage and fury they show. In 

 their hurry they frequently miss their hold, 

 and tumble down the sides of the hill, but 

 recover themselves as quickly as possible; 

 and, being blind, bite every thing they run 

 against, and thas make a crackling noise; 



