Termites or White Ants 



life of the colony has continued undisturbed. There are 

 many beasts who, with powerful claws and feet, tear down 

 the brick-like walls of the nest and endeavour to feed 

 upon the inmates. Man himself is not altogether guileless, 

 for by certain black races stewed termites are considered 

 a delicacy. When a breach is made in the walls of the 

 nest all the soldiers of the colony are marshalled for its 

 defence. The soldiers, who may easily be distinguished 

 by the enormous development of their heads and jaws, 

 and by the fact that they are quite five times the size of 

 the other workers, hurry off to the scene of the trouble, 

 followed at a respectful distance by the nasuti. Now 

 these termite warriors are absolutely devoid of fear ; 

 moreover, they are impelled by a blind fury in their attacks 

 upon their enemies. Blind it is indeed, for, having no 

 eyes, they snap right and left with their powerful jaws, 

 and as often as not their own relatives fall victims to their 

 vicious bites. 



When, as frequently happens, the intruder is driven off, 

 the soldiers retire and the nasuti set to work to repair the 

 damaged home. The word nasuti means the nosed ones, 

 and they are so called because of the abnormal elongation 

 of their heads which terminate in a hollow nose-like 

 structure, at the end of which there is a hole whence a 

 fluid passes at the will of the insect. This fluid is used 

 as a glue, to bind the particles of clay together so that 

 they will form a solid mass with the property of rapid 

 hardening. When the work of rebuilding is completed 

 the nasuti assist the ordinary workers in their search for 

 food and in cleaning out the home, for a termite colony is 

 a model of cleanliness. 



Different'species of termites feed on different substances, 

 as might have been expected, but in certain respects all 

 termites agree. The soldiers of every colony are not 

 averse to making a meal of their brothers, should other 

 food become scarce. True, they usually attack sickly 

 individuals, but healthy ones are not altogether immune 



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