INSTINCTS OF TERMITES, OR WHITE ANTS. 569 



apartments ; some of which are intended for the residence of the 

 kings and queens, and for the rearing of their numerous progeny; 

 whilst others serve as magazines, and are always found well filled 

 with stores and provisions. 



These hills make their first appearance above ground, by a little 

 turret or two, in the shape of sugar-loaves ; which only rise to the 

 height of a foot, or a little more. Soon afterwards, at some little 

 distance, while the former are increasing in height and size, the 

 Termites raise others ; and so go on increasing the number, and 

 widening them at the base, till their works below are covered with 

 these turrets, which they always raise the highest and largest in 

 the middle ; they then, by filling-up the intervals between each 

 turret, collect them, as it were, into one dome. They are not 

 very curious or exact about these turrets, except in making them 

 very solid and strong ; and when, by the junction of them, the 

 dome is completed (for which purpose the turrets answer as 

 scaffolds), they take away the middle ones entirely, except the 

 tops, which, joined together, form the crown of the cupola ; and 

 they apply the clay to the building of the works within, or to 

 the erection of fresh turrets for the purpose of raising the hillock 

 still higher. 



The royal chamber, so called on account of its being adapted 

 for, and occupied by, the king and queen, is situated near the 

 centre of the hillock. It resembles the shape of an egg cut in 

 half lengthways, and is at first not above an inch in length ; it 

 is afterwards increased, however, to six or eight inches, or even 

 more, in proportion to the size of the queen ( 675). The floor 

 and roof of this chamber are very solid, and are composed of 

 hardened clay. Its walls are pierced by several entrances, which 

 will admit the soldiers and labourers, but which are not large 

 enough to allow the king and queen (who is, at full size, a 

 thousand times the weight of a king) to pass out. It is sur- 

 rounded on all sides by a series of chambers, which may be called 

 the royal apartments, and which are occupied by the soldiers and 

 labourers that guard thte pair, on whose safety depends the hap- 

 piness, and probably even the existence, of the whole community. 

 These apartments, being connected together by openings and 

 passages, form an intricate labyrinth, which extends a foot or 

 more in diameter from the royal chamber on every side ; and 

 they are surrounded by the magazines and nurseries. The former 

 are chambers of clay ; and are always well filled with a kind of 

 provisions, which appear to consist of the gums or other thick 

 juices of plants. The nurseries, which are so called because they 



