38 CHANGES OP TERMES, 



of fifteen labourers. The organs of the mouth 

 undergo a remarkable change^ evidently adapted- 

 to the new office of its owner. Whilst a labour- 

 er^, a mouth formed for gnawing and taking hold 

 of bodies was necessary, and it was accordingly 

 well suited to that purpose; but when the insect is 

 impelled by instinct to guard against the hostile 

 attacks of an enemy, offensive weapons become re- 

 quisite : it is now furnished with a formidable pair of 

 piercers, or jagged forceps, capable of inflicting a pain- 

 ful wound. These forceps are placed in a strong, 

 homy head, larger than all the rest of the body. 

 The third metamorphosis is still greater : almost 

 every part is altered from its original form, and four 

 brownish, large, transparent wings, appear to enable 

 the perfect termes to seek a convenient spot for a new 

 settlement. The bodies of these are enlarged to the 

 bulk of thirty labourers, and on each side of the head 

 is a large round eye ; but whilst the creature lived 

 under ground, no eyes were visible. The greater 

 number of the multitudes of these flies, which emi- 

 gi'ate from the parent colony, perish in the course of 

 a few hours, and become the prey of innumerable 

 birds, reptiles, insects, and lastly, of man, as they 

 are esteemed a nourishing, delicate food, that wants 

 no other cookery than simply roasting before the fire. 

 The few pairs that are so fortunate as to survive the 



