THE ANT. 143 



[The Philosophical Transactions for 1781 conr 

 tain a very curious and interesting description of 

 the White Ant, written by Mr Smeathman of 

 Clement's Inn. According to this account, the 

 works of these insects surpass those of bees, 

 wasps, beavers, and other animals, as much at 

 least as those of the most polished European na- 

 tions excel those of the least cultivated savages. 

 And even with regard to man, his greatest works, 

 the boasted pyramids, fall comparatively far short, 

 even in size alone, of the structures raised by 

 these insects. The labourers among them em- 

 ployed in this service are not a quarter of an inch 

 in length ; but the structures which they erect 

 rise to twelve feet and upwards above the surface 

 of the earth. The interior construction, and the 

 various members and dispositions of the parts of 

 the building, appear greatly to exceed any work 

 of human architecture. 



There are three distinct ranks or orders among 

 them, constituting a well regulated community. 

 These are, first, the labourers, or working insects; 

 next, the soldiers, or fighting order, who do no 

 kind of labour, and are about twice as long as 

 the former, and equal in bulk to about fifteen of 

 them ; and lastly, the winged or perfect insects, 

 which may be called the nobility of the state, 

 for they neither labour nor fight, being scarcely 

 capable even of self-defence. " These only are 

 capable of being elected kings or queens ; and 

 nature has so ordered it, that they emigrate with- 

 in a few weeks after they are elevated to this 



