TERMITES. 45 



numerous swarms along the banks of rivers, towards sunset, on 

 bright days in the warm season. They assemble in the air and 

 then alight on neighbouring plants; soon afterwards the female 

 lays her eggs in the water and dies. These insects sometimes 

 fall upon the ground in such great numbers that they are gathered 

 up in cart-loads for manuring the earth. But notwithstanding 

 they live in the perfect state only a few hours, they undergo 

 transformation and clothe themselves in a new skin. In the state 

 of larvae or nymphre, on the contrary, they live two or three 

 years and remain in the water. The larva resembles the perfect 

 insect ; but the mouth has two projections in form of horns, and 

 the abdomen has on each side a row of plates or leaflets, serving 

 for respiration and swimming. The pupa or nympha does not 

 differ from the larva except in the presence of sheaths enclosing 

 the wings. At the moment these organs are to be developed, the 

 insect leaves the water ; and it is a remarkable exception to the 

 general rule, that after having undergone this metamorphosis, it 

 again changes its skin before it becomes an adult. 



14. The Ter' mites are only found in countries situated near the 

 tropics, and are known under the common name of white ants. 

 These insects live in very numerous societies, composed of males, 

 females, larvae, nymphs, and neuters or adults; the last are 

 however incomplete, wanting wings; they are called soldiers. 

 They keep under ground or in the interior of trees, joists, &c., 

 and in them dig very extensive and numerous galleries, all of 

 which communicate with a central place where they dwell ; these 

 habitations are always covered, and when circumstances compel 

 the larva? to leave it, they form beyond, from the materials they 

 gnaw, tubes or covered ways which hide them from view. The 

 soldiers, which have a larger head, and mandibles more apparent 

 than the others, are charged with the defence of the common 

 dwelling, and it is for this reason they have obtained the name 

 of soldiers ; they keep near the external surface of the habita- 

 tion, and as soon as a breach is made, they rush out to fight their 

 enemies. , The larva, which are called working termites, are 

 much more numerous than the soldiers; they perform all the 

 labour necessary for the construction and repair of their dwell- 

 ings ; they cause terrible destruction by mining, as it were, through 

 trees and the frames of houses. Having attained the perfect 

 state, the termites quit their nest towards evening and rise in the 

 air; but on the rising of the sun their wings dry and they fall, 

 the most of them becoming a prey to lizards, birds, &c. ; but we 

 are assured that, at this period, the larvae make prisoners of the 

 females and keep them in a particular cell in the centre of the 



14. What are Ter'mites ? What are their habits ? 



