$66 THE PHILOSOPIit 



head, which is of a nut-brown colour, and larger than the 

 whole body. 



The figure of the third order, or that of the infecSl in its 

 perfect (late, is ftill more changed. The head, the thorax, 

 and the abdomen, differ almoft entirely from the fame parts 

 in the labourers and foldiers. Befide, the animals are now 

 furnifhed with four large, brownifh, tranfparent wings, by 

 which they are enabled, at the proper feafon, to emigrate 

 and to eftablifh new fettlements. In the winged or perfe<n: 

 ftate, they have likewife acquired the organs of generation, 

 and are greatly altered in their iize as well as in their figure. 

 Their bodies now meafure between fix and feven tenths of 

 an inch, their wings, from tip to tip, above two inches and a 

 half, and their bulk is equal to that of thirty labourers, or 

 two foldiers. Inftead of a£live, induftrious, and rapacious 

 little animals, when they arrive at their perfect ftate, they be- 

 come innocent, helplefs, and daftardly. Their numbers are 

 great ; but their enemies are ftill more numerous. They 

 are devoured by birds, by every fpecies of ants, by carnivo- 

 rous reptiles, and even by the inhabitants of many parts of 

 Africa. This laft faft is attefted by Pifo, Margrave, De 

 Laet, Konig, Moor, Sparman, and by many other travellers, 

 as well as by Smeathman. After fuch devaftation, it is fur- 

 priling that a fingle pair fliould efcape fo many dangers. 



< Some, however,' fays Mr. Smeathman, < are fo fortunate ; 



< and being found by fome of the labouring infects, that are 



* continually running about the furface of the ground under 



* their covered galleries, are elecled Kings and Queens of new 



< ftates •, all thofe who are not fo ele(5ted and preferved cer- 



* tainly perifh. The manner In which thefe labourers pro- 

 « teiSt the happy pair from their innumerable enemies, not 



< only on the day of the maiTacre of almoll: all their race, but 



* for a long time after, will, I hope, juftify me in the ufe of 

 « the term ehcJion. The little induftrious creatures immedi- 



