1041 



TERMITIN^E. 



TERNSTROMIACE^E. 



]C42 



destitute of petals, and are disposed in spikes, which are racemose and 

 panicled ; in the lower part of the spikes they contain both stamens 

 and pistils, but in the upper part they contain only stamens ; the 

 limb of the calyx is campanulate, 5-cleft, with acute lobes: the 

 stamens are 10 in number, arranged in two series, and are longer than 

 the calyx ; the ovary contains two ovules ; the style is acute, and the 

 fruit is drupaceous, containing only one seed. All the species are 

 inhabitants of the tropical parts of Asia and America. They are 

 numerous, and many of them are used in medicine and the arts. 



T. angustifolia. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, very thin at both 

 ends, pubescent beneath ; the petioles are also pubescent, and have 

 two glands at their apex. This tree is a native of the East Indies, 

 and was formerly called Terminalia Benzoin, as it yields on tapping a 

 gum-resin very similar to benzoin, and possessing the same properties. 



T. vernix is a native of the Moluccas, and abounds in a resinous 

 juice, which is collected by the inhabitants, and used in the natural 

 state as a varnish. It is also used for the same purpose in China. 



T. Catappa has obovate leaves, tapering to the base, pubescent 

 beneath, and glands on the under sides of the midrib. It is originally 

 a native of the East Indies, but has now become naturalised in the 

 West India Islands. Some botanists have described the West India 

 species .is distinct from the Asiatic, but there is no good distinctive 

 character. The drupaceous fruit of this tree is about 3 inches long, 

 and contains a large seed, which is eaten, and also yields an oil, in 

 the same manner as the almond. This tree, on account of its thick 

 foliage, is much planted in the tropics for the purpose of forming 

 avenues near houses. The bark and leaves yield a black pigment. 

 Indian ink is manufactured from the juice of this tree. 



T.glaln-ata very much resembles the last, but the leaves are glabrous 

 beneath and small It is a native of the Society and Friendly Islands. 



T. Sellerica is a native of the East Indies, and the fruit is reputed 

 to possess tonic, astringent, and attenuant properties. 



T. CkebiUa is also an East Indian species. It is distinguished from 

 the last by possessing opposite leaves which are pubescent beneath. 

 The fruit of this species is more astringent than the last, and is used 

 for the purposes of dyeing. A durable ink is made by mixing the 

 salts of iron with an infusion of the outer rind of the fruit. Both 

 this species and the last are subject to the attacks of insects producing 

 gall-nuts. These galls possess the astringent principle in abundance, 

 and are also used for dyeing. They are called Cadacay by the 

 Tamuls. 



TERMITI'N^E, a section of Neuropterous Insects, in which Latreille 

 includes the genera Mantispa, Rnphidia, Terma, and Ptociu. These 

 genera however are usually regarded as constituting three distinct 

 families, and will be here treated as such, commencing with the 

 Raphuliida; of Leach, which contains the two first-mentioned genera. 

 The insects of this family have the antennas slender and composed of 

 more than 10 joints ; the tarsi have from 3 to 5 joints ; the wings are 

 nearly equal in size and have numerous nervures inclosing small poly- 

 gonal cells ; the prothorax is long and slender. 



Afantiipa is at once distinguished by the peculiar structure of the 

 anterior pair of legs, which are large, have the tibia broad and com- 

 pressed, and provided beneath with spines ; the joints of the tarsi 

 are indistinct, and also furnished beneath with spines; the tarsi of the 

 other four legs are distinctly 5-jointed. The antennas are short, about 

 equal to the head in length, and slender. The prothorax is elongated, 

 slender, and broadest in front. The wings, when at rest, meet over 

 the abdomen. 



M. payana, Fabricius, is rather less than three-quarters of an inch 

 in length, and of a brownish-yellow colour ; the wings are transparent, 

 the superior pair have the upper margin yellow. It is found in France 

 and Germany. 



In Brazil are species closely allied to Mantiapa, which differ in 

 having the antennae as long as the body; the wings are nearly hori- 

 zontal ; the body is depressed and terminated by two little appendices. 

 They form the genus Iloplophora of Perty. 



Itaphidia. The body is rather slender ; the prothorax is long and 

 almost cylindrical ; the head broad and somewhat depressed ; the eyes 

 prominent ; the antennae are as long as the head and thorax, and com- 

 posed of about 37 joints. The abdomen is terminated in the female 

 by a long ovipositor. The legs are slender, of moderate length, and 

 the torsi are 4-jointed. 



K. ophiopnt is not an uncommon insect in this country. It is 

 rather more than one-third of an inch in length, and the expanded 

 wings measure two-thirds of an inch ; the head and body are black, 

 the antennae and legs are yellow, and the wings are transparent. 



The larva of this insect lives in the bark of trees, and is said to prey 

 upon other insects. It is exceedingly active in its motions, which are 

 somewhat like those of a snake. The body is soft, long, and slender, 

 of a brown colour, striped, and variegated with yellow ; the head and 

 prothorax are corneous, and of a black colour. In the pupa all the 

 parts of a perfect insect are distinct, being enveloped in a thin 

 membrane. 



Termitidre. This family is distinguished by the following cha- 

 racters : Wings with few transverse uervures, folding horizontally; 

 tarsi 4-jointed ; antennae short and mouiliform ; body depressed. 



Terma has the head large and rounded, nnd, besides the ordinary 

 compound even, it has three ocelli, or simple eyes, situated on the 

 KAT. OUT. UIV. VOL. IT. 



upper surface; the antennas are as long as the head and thorax, 

 inserted in front of the eyes, aud commposed of about 18 joints. The 

 abdomen is terminated by two small jointed appendages. 



The Termites, or White Ants, as they are often called (though they 

 have little affinity with the true Ants), are chiefly confined to the 

 tropics ; some few species however extend into the temperate regions. 

 Like the Bees, Wasps, and Ants, which live in society, the Termites 

 are composed of three kinds of individuals males, females, and what 

 are termed neuters or workers. Their ravages in the warmer part} of 

 the globe are well known. They unite in societies composed each of 

 an immense number of individuals, living iu the ground and iu trees, 

 and often attacking the wood-work of houses, in which they form 

 innumerable galleries, all of which lead to a central point. In forming 

 these galleries they avoid piercing the surface of the wood-work, and 

 hence it appears sound when the slightest touch is sometimes sufficient 

 to cause it to fall to pieces. 



The Termites sometimes erect their domiciles on the ground, in the 

 form of pyramids or cones, sometimes with a roof, and these nests are 

 often very numerous, and resemble the huts of savages. 



The larva; nearly resemble the perfect insect, excepting that they 

 possess no wings. The pupa! have rudimentary wings. The neuters 

 differ from the males and females in possessing no wings, in having 

 the body stouter, the head much longer, and provided with long jawa 

 crossing at the extremity. They are said to defend the nests, and, 

 stationing themselves near the outer surface, they are the first fc> 

 make their appearance when their habitation is disturbed. They 

 will attack the party molesting them, and bite with considerable 

 strength. 



The negroes and Hottentots consider these insects a great delicacy. 

 They are destroyed with quick-lime, or more readily with arsenic, 

 which is thrown into their habitations. 



The Ptocida are very small insects, having soft and swollen bodies ; 

 the head is very large, nearly trigonal, aud provided with three ocelli 

 on the upper surface ; the wings when folded meet at an angle above 

 the abdomen, and are sparingly provided with nervures ; the antennaa 

 are setaceous, and composed of about 10 joints; the tarsi are short, 

 and usually 2-jointed. They are very active in their motions, and live 

 in the bark of old trees and in dwelling-houses. Nearly 40 species are 

 said to be found in this country. 



TERNS. [STERNID*.] 



TERNSTROMIA'CE^E, Tlieads, a natural order of Polypetalous Exo- 

 genous Plants. It consists of trees or shrubs with alternate coriaceous 

 leaves, without stipules, mostly undivided, and sometimes with pellucid 

 dots. The flowers are generally white in colour, sometimes pink or red, 

 and are arranged in axillary or terminal peduncles, articulated at the 

 base. The ealyx is composed of 5 or 7 sepals, imbricated in ajstivation, 

 the innermost the largest ; petals 5, G, or 9, often combined at the base ; 

 stamens indefinite, with monadelphous or polyadelphous filaments, 

 and versatile or aduate anthers ; ovary superior ; capsule 2-7-celled ; 

 seeds few, attached to a central axis, with little or no albumen, and 

 a straight embryo, the cotyledons of which are very large, and often 

 filled with oil. This order includes the T/ieaceie of Mirbel aud the 

 CameUitce of Do Candolle. Their closest affinity is with the order 

 Quttifcne, from which they differ in their alternate leaves; in the 



Tkea Sohea. 



1, branch with flowers and leaves; 2, superior ovary with (rifi-1 stigma: 

 3, fruit entire ; 4, capsule dehiscent. 



3 x 



