ITS NEST. 37 



changes and habits of the insect are further described. 

 The height of these hills, compared with the size of 

 the architect, is vast, and their strength so great, that 

 the wild bulls, which stand as centinels to the rest of 

 the herd ruminating on the plain, generally take 

 their place on one of them that is about half built. 

 The commencement of this huge cone is a small tur- 

 ret or two, about a foot in height, and of a sugar-loaf 

 shape : at a little distance, other turrets, of a similar 

 kind, are raised; when, by increasing the number, 

 and augmenting the size, the base of the building is 

 covered with them ; the highest and largest remain- 

 ing in the centre, till, by filling up the intervals be- 

 tween them, they are gradually formed into one large 

 dome. When this is effected, they take away the 

 middle ones entirely, (except the tops, which, united, 

 make the crown of the cupola,) and then apply the 

 same clay to some other purpose. 



In each community there are three orders of inha- 

 bitants, which are produced from changes similar to 

 those of the silk-worm and several other kinds of in- 

 sects. The working termites are about a quarter of 

 an inch long, and are far the most numerous, being 

 in the proportion of an hundred to one soldier, which 

 is the denomination Mr. Smeathman gives to them 

 after the first transformation : in this state they as- 

 sume a different form, and are increased to the bulk 



