Wliiie Ants. 325 



flight of stairs from the floor of the area to some opening on 

 the side of one of the columns that support the great arches. 

 This contrivance must shorten the distance exceedingly to 

 those labourers who have the eggs to carry from the royal 

 chamber to some of the upper nurseries, which in some hills 

 would be four or five feet in the straightest line, and much 

 more if carried through all the winding passages leading 

 through the inner chambers and apartments. Mr. Smeath- 

 man found one of these bridges, half an inch broad, a quarter 

 of an inch thick, and ten inches long, making the side of an 

 elliptic arch of proportionable size ; so that it is wonderful 

 it did not fall over or break by its own weight before they 

 got it joined to the side of the column above. 



It was strengthened by a small arch at the bottom, and 

 had a hollow or groove all the length of the upper surface, 

 either made purposely for the inhabitants to travel over 

 with more safety, or else, which is not improbable, worn 

 by frequent treading. 



TUKRET-BUILDING WHITE ANTS. 



Apparently more than one species smaller than the pre- 

 ceding, such as the Termes mordax and T. atrox of Smeath- 

 man, construct nests of a very different form, the figures of 

 which resemble a pillar, with a large mushroom for a capital. 

 These turrets are composed of well- tempered black earth, and 

 stand nearly three feet high. The conical mushroom-shaped 

 roof is composed of the same material, and the brims hang 

 over the column, being three or four inches wider than its 

 perpendicular sides. Most of them, says Smeathman, re- 

 semble in shape the body of a round windmill, but some of 

 the roofs have little elevation in the middle. When one of 

 these turrets is completed, the insects do not afterwards en- 

 large or alter it ; but if it be found too small for them, they 

 lay the foundation of another at a few inches' distance. 

 They sometimes, but not often, begin the second before the 

 first is finished, and a third before they have completed tho 

 second. Five or six of these singular turrets in a group may 



