OF TERMITES. 35 



is the source of great benefit ; whence he concludes 

 that the same arrangement may prevail in this case ; 

 and;, on further investigation, he discovers that, in 

 the countries where the termites abound, vegetation is 

 so exceedingly rapid and abundant, and counterba- 

 lanced by an equal celerity of destruction from natu- 

 ral or accidental causes, that, unless some indefatiga- 

 ble agents were provided to clear away every sub- 

 stance tending to decay, these fertile regions would 

 become uninhabitable from the pollution of the air. 

 In this point of view, this insect is a most valuable 

 creature ; and were it possible to annihilate the race, 

 the consequences would be so baneful as to render 

 their loss a serious calamity. It appears to be an 

 invariable law of nature, that whatever has reached 

 perfect maturity should decay, and yield its place to 

 fresh productions. This principle is as observable in 

 the vegetable, as in the animal kingdom : thus, when 

 trees, and even woods, are partly destroyed by torna- 

 does or fire, the instincts of many creatures impel 

 them to consume the remainder, or prepare it for a 

 speedy dissolution. None are more expert at this 

 business than the termites; for, in a few weeks, 

 they will divide and carry away the bodies of large 

 trees, and leave a vacant space for a new growth of 

 vegetable produce. 



However troublesome to individuals, therefore, this 



