EDtctt0narj) of 



$aturr. 669 



to prepare a place for the deposition of their 

 eggs, where the maggot may be incubated in 

 safety, and upon its exclusion be surrounded 

 by a'lrcady organized matter adapted for 

 its sustenance. Some genera select vegeta- 

 bles for the parasitic support of their young, 

 as iSirer(Linu.), which infests the pine-tree ; 

 and Cephut i I.ntr. >, which perforates the 

 stalks of corn for the purpose of oviposition. 

 Others, as the ichneumons, pierce the skins 

 of insects, and deposit their eggs in the sub- 

 cutaneous fatty and nutrient material. 



TEREBRATULA. A genu of Conchl- 

 ferous Mollusca, found at great depths in 

 the Southern Ocean, and also in the Euro- 

 pean sous. The animals have a curious kind 

 of internal skeleton, as it may be termed, 

 consisting of a slender, flattened, calcareous 

 loop, with other pieces diverging from it ; 

 :n hi a ciliated appendage on each side of the 

 body. The shell is inequivalve, equila- 

 teral, oval or sub-trigonal, ventricone or com- 

 pressed, adhering by a short gelatinous ten- 

 don. Our figure, which exhibits a species of 

 this extensive genus, shows the peculiarity 



of structure above alluded to ; the upper 

 figure representing the whole tiliell and the 

 two lower cuts, the insides of each valve. 

 There are numerous species of this Mollus- 

 cous genus, of various forms, and some of 

 them curiously ribbed, found in a fossil 

 state. 



TEREDO. The name given to a genus of 

 testaceous molluscs, which form their habi- 

 tations by boring holes in submerged timber, 

 and thereby occasion destructive ravages in 

 ships' bottoms, sunken piles, &c. The / - 

 ruin iiiirnlif is worm-shaped, and about six 

 inches long. In making its excavations into 

 the wood, which it does by boring into the 

 substance in the direction of the grain, each 

 individual is careful to avoid the tube formed 

 by its neighbour, and often a very thin leaf 

 alone of wood is left between ; it also, when 

 a knot occurs in its path, makes a turn to 

 avoid it. It is commonly supposed that this 

 animal, so injurious to mankind, was intro- 

 duced into Europe from warmer climates ; 

 but however that may be, it now unfor- 

 tunately swarms in our seas. The rapidity 



of its growth, and the destructive celerity 

 with which it works, are hardly credible. 

 In Holland, in order to prevent the irruption 

 of the sea, where the land is below the level 

 of high water, immense dykes are constructed 

 along the shore, formed of large masses of 

 and, and strengthened by large piles driven 



sail 



the ground. In the year 1730 It was 

 ivered that these piles were 



Into 



discovered that these piles were attacked by 

 the Teredo, and, on examination, were found 

 to be pierced in all directions to such an 

 extent, that, had it not been for a timely 

 discovery of the mischief, the whole of that 

 part of the country might have been over- 

 whelmed by the sea breaking through the 

 worm-eaten defences. The only effectual 



QJM 



ay of preventing the attacks of the Teredo 

 pon piles is said to be by covering all that 

 part which is continually beneath the surface 

 with short broad-headed nails : the action 

 of the sea-water on the nails producing a 

 strong coating of rust, said to be superior to 

 a copper sheathing. Another species, the 

 7>mt> gignntra, is described by Sir Everard 

 Home as sometimes exceeding four feet in 

 length and several inches in circumference. 



TERMITID,. An extensive and im- 

 portant family of the Neuropternus order of 

 Insects, to which the name of tt'hitt Ant* is 

 very commonly given. Some few species 

 arc found in temperate regions, but they are 

 chiefly confined to the tropics, where they 

 perform a considerable share in the necessary 

 operation of completing the comminution 

 and destruction of dead and decomposing 

 organized matter. Next to Locust*, they 

 may be reckoned the moat destructive insects 

 known to Man. They are characterized by 

 four-jointed tarsi ; but the wings are carried 

 horizontally on the body, and very long ; 

 the head rounded, and the prothorax short 

 and square. The body is depressed, with 

 the ant en 11. -i- short ; the mouth very similar 

 to that of the Orthoptcra, with the four-cleft 

 lower lip ; three ocelli ; the wings slightly 

 transparent, coloured, with the nerrures 

 forming a close network ; and the legs short. 

 They live in societies, often prodigiously 

 numerous, and, like the Bee and the Ant, 

 arc composed of three sorts of individuals. 

 In all the stages of their existence, save that 

 of the ovum, they are active, carnivorous or 

 omnivorous ; and are, be von d all doubt, the 

 greatest pest of tropical climates : destroying 

 all articles of furniture made of wood, cloths, 

 &c., and even entering the foundations of 

 houses, and eating out the whole interior of 

 the timbers, so that while they appear per- 

 fectly sound externally, they win fall to 

 pieces under the slightest blow. One specie* 

 is celebrated for the edifice* it rears, in the 



