CHAP. VII. WHITE ANTS IN INDIA. 235 



which devours everything in its way; so that, if a 

 person chance to drop but a piece of bread, or any 

 other food, it is instantly surrounded by these creatures, 

 who seize upon and endeavour to convey it away. No- 

 thing has been found which will in any way check 

 their invasions; and it is even, says our authority*, not 

 unusual to see a cup of, tea, when poured out, entirely 

 covered with them, their dead bodies floating on it like 

 a scum. 



(247.) India, as well as Africa, besides being over- 

 run with insects, swarms likewise with Termites, or the 

 white ants, which absolutely eat up everything, less 

 hard than glass or metal, which comes in their way. 

 These little miners, however, are so ingenious in their 

 depredations, that, although the timber-work of a 

 spacious apartment is often destroyed by them in a few 

 nights, it appears, outwardly, the same, as they always 

 consume, first, the interior of whatever substance they 

 penetrate, and seldom attack the outside until they have 

 previously concealed themselves and their operations 

 by a coat of clay.t An amusing anecdote is told of the 

 white ants of India, by captain Williamson, which, al- 

 though improbable, is worth repeating. " A gentleman 

 in India had charge of a chest of money, which, being 

 put on the floor of his house, in a damp situation, was 

 speedily attacked by the Termites, these insects having 

 previously effected a lodgment in the same quarters, 

 but under the ground. The bottom of the box was, of 

 course, the first part they attacked ; they then destroyed 

 the bags containing the specie, which, being thus set 

 loose, fell gradually into the hollows of the ants' burrow. 

 When the cash was called for, the beholders were lost 

 in amazement at the prodigious powers of both teeth 

 and stomach possessed by these little marauders, whom, 

 in their simplicity, they thought Ijad devoured the con- 

 tents. Upon further search, however, probably set on 

 foot by those more rational, the whole amount of the 

 treasure was found, sunk deep in the earth, but covered 



* Perceval's Ceylon, p. 307. t Int. to Ent. vol. i. p. 245, 



