146 Rev. F. W. Hope's Observations respecting 



also, that one common article of food among the Chensu Carira 

 of India, is the white ant, commonly called Termes, 



3. Smeathmari's Ant. 



Smeathman also tells us, that several African tribes eat white 

 ants, roasted, boiled, and raw ; and then adds his opinion, derived 

 from personal observation, that the individuals living on them 

 soon get into good condition, from feasting on this nutritious 

 food. 



4. Termes arbonim. 



Before concluding my remarks on the order Neuroptera, it may 

 here be mentioned, that not only the insects themselves, but 

 part of their domiciles, are sometimes taken, not as food, but as 

 medicine. Koster informs us, that portions of the nest of the 

 Copim (of a species named Termes arborum) is taken in the state 

 of a solution in South America, in agueish disorders. — Vid. Ros- 

 ter's Travels, vol. ii. page 50. May we not here take a hint 

 from the South American, and as we have not the Termes, why 

 not try and ascertain if portions of the nests of our British ants 

 are efficacious in checking the same complaint ? It is worthy of 

 remark, that the grand specific for ague is bark and sulphuric 

 acid, in short, quinine. Whence, I ask, originated this specific ? 

 probably it originated in the very country which gives us the 

 Peruvian bark. What then is quinine ? it is a remedy attempted 

 to be assimilated to that of Copim. The next question that arises 

 is, what is Copim ? as far as is known, it appears to be an extract 

 of wood acted upon by termitic acid. What is quinine ? nothing 

 more than bark acted on by sulphuric acid, and made more effi- 

 cacious by that acid. I throw out these remarks purposely to 

 promote inquiry, and I take the present opportunity of stating, 

 that Copim appears to me to contain the concentrated virtues of 

 the tree on which the insects feed ; and I have little doubt, that 

 insects may eventually afford us medicines more powerful than 

 those of trees and plants, and certainly less deleterious than those 

 derived from minerals. 



DiPTERA. 



In Pinto's Voyage there is a notice of a sect of people who 

 used flies as an article of food. Scopoli, in his " Entomologia," 

 mentions the larvae of Musca putris as a dainty. The jumping 

 maggots frequently met with in old cheese, turn to a fly denomi- 



