426 CLASS VIII. 
Family XXXIV. Zermitine. Mandibles horny, strong, den- 
ticulate. Maxille furnished with an appendage or lobe resembling 
a galea, and with a palp four or five-jointed. Antenne filiform or 
setaceous, of the size of thorax at least, composed of more than ten 
joints. Wings deflected or incumbent, with few transverse nervures, 
sometimes absent; posterior wings not broader than anterior, in 
many less than anterior. Tarsi with two to four joints. 
Psocus LAtr. Antenne setaceous, long, with joints cylindrical, 
elongate. Maxillary palps four-jointed, labial none. Wings either 
none or deflected, unequal, posterior less. Tarsi in most with only 
two, in some with three joints. 
Sp. Psocus pulsatorius, Termes pulsatorium L., Dr Grrr, Jns. vit. Pl. rv. 
fig. 1, SunzER, Kennz. d. Ins. Tab. xxtt. fig. 144; the wood-louse (houtluis) ; 
the body pale yellow, with yellow eyes. This insect is commonly found on 
wood, upon walls, in old papers, &e.; it has superficially a resemblance to 
a louse, but runs very rapidly. The Latin specific name is derived from 
the idea that the ticking in old furniture and door- posts, which superstition 
often receives as a bad omen, is caused by this insect; on the contrary, 
they are small beetles which cause the tapping sound, An anatomical 
investigation of this little animal was published by NirzscH in GERMAR u. 
ZINCKEN, Magazin der Entomol. tv. t821, s. 276—282, Tab. 11. 
Other winged species are met with on trees, as Psocus quadripunctatus 
Latr., PANZER, Deutschl. Ins. Heft 94, Tab. 22, &e. 
Here belong sub-genera Aétropos Lracu (Z'roctes Burm., Atropos 
and Lachesilla Wxstw.), Thyrsophorus Bur., Cecilius Curtis. 
Termes L. (in part), Latr. Labium quadrifid, with palps three- 
jointed. Antenne short, mostly moniliform. Wings narrow, 
incumbent horizontally on the body, longer than body, deciduous, 
sometimes none. ‘T'arsi with four joints. 
These insects bear, in different tongues, the name of white ants ; 
they live, like these, in society together, and in warm countries 
cause incredible damage. Of the wood-work which they destroy, they 
leave the surface untouched, so that every thing externally preserves 
its form, but falls to pieces on the slightest touch. The hardest 
wood cannot resist these animals; glass, metal, and stones alone do 
they leave uninjured. Some species live underground, others in 
trees ; some erect pyramidal mounds above the surface, which in 
Guinea and other regions of the African coast are raised to the 
height of twelve feet, and are so stable that they may be mounted 
