538 



HISTORY OF INSECTS. 



From such a formation, this animal seems 

 bolder and more active, for its size, than any 

 other of the insect tribe, and fears not to attack 

 a creature often above ten times its own magni- 

 tude. 



to enclose and protect the interior building from the in- 

 juries of the weather, and to defend its numerous inhabi- 

 tants from the attacks of natural or accidental enemies. 

 Different species of termites construct nests of very dif- 

 ferent forms. In the plate referred to, among others, are 

 represented turret-nests, the figures of which resemble a 

 pillar, with a large mushroom for a capital. These tur- 

 rets are composed of well-tempered black earth, and 

 stand nearly three feet high. One nest is represented 

 cut through with the upper part lying on the ground. 

 When one of these turrets is completed, the insects do 

 not enlarge them, when they become too small, but build 

 another at a short distance. They are so strongly built 

 that they will sooner tear up from the roots than break. 



The royal chamber is always situated as near the cen- 

 tre of the building as possible, is generally on a level 

 with the surface of the ground, and of an obtuse oval 

 shape within. In the infant state of the colony it is not 

 above an inch in length : but in time it becomes en- 

 larged to six or eight inches, or more. The entrance 

 into the royal chamber not admitting any animal larger 

 than the labourers or soldiers, it follows that the king 

 and queen can never possibly get out. This chamber is 

 surrounded by a hundred of others, of different sizes, 

 figures, and dimensions ; all of them arched either in a 

 circular or an elliptical form. These either open into 

 each other, or have communicating passages, which being 

 always clear, are evidently intended for the conve- 

 nience of the soldiers and attendants, of whom great num- 

 bers are necessary. The latter apartments are joined by 

 the magazines and nurseries. The magazines are cham- 

 bers of clay, and are at all times well stored with provi- 

 sions, which to the naked eye seem to consist of the 

 raspings of wood and plants, but, when examined by the 

 microscope, they are found to consist chiefly of the gums 

 or inspissated juices of plants thrown together in small ir- 

 regular masses. 



The magazines are always intermixed with the nur- 

 series, buildings totally different from the rest of the 

 apartments. These are composed entirely of wooden 

 materials, which seem to be cemented with gum. They 

 are invariably occupied by the eggs, and the young ones, 

 which first appear in the shape of labourers. These 

 buildings are exceedingly compact, and are divided into 

 a number of small irregular-shaped chambers, not one of 

 which is half an inch wide. They are placed all around, 

 and as near as possible to the royal apartments. When 

 a nest is in an infant state, the nurseries are close to the 

 royal apartment. But as in process of time the body of 

 the queen enlarges, it becomes necessary, for her accom- 

 modation, to augment the dimensions of her chamber. 

 She then likewise lays a greater number of eggs, and re- 

 quires more attendants : of course it is necessary that 

 both the number and dimensions of the adjacent apart- 

 ments should be augmented. For this purpose, the small 

 first built nurseries are taken to pieces, rebuilt a little 

 farther off, and made a size larger, and their number at 

 the same time is increased. Thus the animals are con- 

 tinually employed in pulling down, repairing, or rebuild- 

 ing their apartments ; and these operations they perform 

 with wonderful sagacity, regularity, and foresight. The 

 nurseries are enclosed in chambers of clay, like those 

 \vhich contain the provisions; but they are much larger. 

 In the early state of the nest they are not bigger than a 

 hazel-nut ; but in great hills they are oftentimes four or 

 live inches across. 



The royal chamber, as before observed, is situated as 

 uearly under the apex of the hill as possible, and is sur 



As soon as the winter is past, in the first 

 fine day in April, the ant-hill, that before 

 seemed a desert, now swarms with new life, 

 and myriads of these insects are seen just 

 awaked from their annual lethargy, and pre- 



rounded on all sides, both above and below, by what Mr 

 Smeathman calls the royal apartments, which contain 

 only those labourers and soldiers that are employed in 

 defence of the common parents. These apartments 

 compose an intricate labyrinth, which extends a foot or 

 more in diameter from the royal chamber on every side. 

 Here the nurseries and magazines of provisions begin ; 

 and, being separated by small empty chambers and gal- 

 leries, which surround them, and communicate with each 

 other, are continued on all sides to the outward shell, and 

 reach up within two-thirds, or three-fourths of its height, 

 leaving an open area in the middle under the dome. 

 This is surrounded by large pointed arches, which are 

 sometimes two or three feet high next to the front of the 

 area, but diminish rapidly as they recede, and are soon 

 lost among the innumerable chambers and nurseries be- 

 hind them. The inferior building, or assemblage of nur- 

 series, chambers, and passages, has a flattish floor, with- 

 out any perforation. By this contrivance, if by accident 

 water should penetrate the external dome, the apartments 

 below are preserved from injury. The area has also a 

 flattish floor, which is situated above the royal chamber ; 

 it is likewise water-proof, and so constructed, that if 

 water gets admittance, it runs off by subterraneous pas- 

 sages, which are cylindrical, and some of them so much 

 as even thirteen inches in diameter. These subterrane- 

 ous passages are thickly lined with the same kind of clay 

 of which the hill is composed ; they ascend the internal 

 part of the external shell in a spiral form, and winding 

 round the whole building up to the top, intersect and 

 communicate with each other at different heights. From 

 every part of these large galleries, a number of pipes, or 

 smaller galleries, leading to different apartments of the 

 building, proceed. There are likewise a great many 

 which lead downward, by sloping descents, to a consider- 

 able depth under the surface of the ground. Other gal- 

 leries ascend and lead out horizontally on every side, and 

 are also carried under ground, but near the surface, to 

 great distances, for the purpose of foraging. 



When a breach is made in one of the walls by an axe 

 or other instrument, the first object that attracts atten- 

 tion is the behaviour of the soldiers or fighting insects. 

 Immediately after the blow is given, a soldier comes 

 out, walks about the breach, and seems to examine the 

 nature of the enemy, or cause of the attack. He then 

 goes into the hill, gives the alarm, and in a short time 

 large bodies rush out as fast as the breach will permit. 

 It is not easy to describe the fury that actuates these 

 fighting insects. In their eagerness to repel the enemy, 

 they frequently tumble down the sides of the hill, but 

 quickly recover themselves, and bite everything they en- 

 counter. This biting, joined to the striking of their forceps 

 upon the building, makes a crackling or vibrating noise, 

 which is somewhat shriller and quicker than the ticking 

 of a watch, and may be heard at the distance of several 

 feet. While the attack proceeds they are in the most 

 violent bustle and agitation. If they seize hold of any 

 part of a man's body, they instantly make a wound which 

 gives some pain. When they attack the leg, the stain 

 of blood upon the stocking extends more than an inch in 

 width. They make their hooked jaws meet at the first 

 stroke, and never quit their hold, but suffer themselves 

 to be pulled away piece after piece, without any attempt 

 to escape. On the other hand, if a person keeps out of 

 their reach, and gives them no further disturbance, in 

 less than half an hour they retire into the nest, as if they 

 supposed the monster that damaged their castle had fled. 

 Before the whole of the soldiers have got in, the labouring 



