NEUROPTERA. 



443 



ture of all kinds, and the planks, timbers, &c. &c. which form parts of houses. 

 There they excavate galleries, which form so many roads, all leading to the 

 centre of their domicil, and these bodies thus mined, and retaining nothing 

 but a superficial bark or covering, coon crumble into dust. If compelled 

 by any insurmountable obstacle to leave their dwellings, they construct 

 tubes or ways which still keep them from sight. The nests or domicils of 

 several species are exterior, but have no visible opening. Sometimes they 

 are raised above the surface of the ground, in the form of pyramids or tur- 

 rets, occasionally surmounted with a capital or very solid roof, which, by 

 their height and number, resemble a little village. Sometimes they form 

 a large globular mass on the branches of trees. Another sort of individuals, 

 the neuters, also called soldiers, defend the domicil. They are distinguished 

 by their stouter and more elongated head, the mandibles of which are 

 also longer, narrower and considerably crossed. They are much less nu- 

 merous than the others, and remain near the surface of the habitation, are 

 the first that present themselves in case of an attack, and pinch with con- 

 siderable strength. It is also said that they force the labourers to work. 

 The seminymphs have rudiments of wings, and in other respects resemble 

 the larvae. 



Having become perfect Insects, the Termites leave their original retreat, 

 and fly off at evening or during the night in incalculable numbers. At 

 sunrise, they lose their wings, which are dried up, fall to the ground, and 

 are mostly devoured by Birds, Lizards, and the rest of their enemies. 



In the remaining Termetinse the tarsi are biarticulated, and the labial 

 palpi indistinct and very short. The antennae consist of about ten joints, 

 the first segment of the trunk is very small, and the inferior wings are 

 smaller than the others. They form the genus 



Psocus, Lat. Fab. 



And are very small Insects with a short and extremely soft body that is 

 frequently inflated, or as if hump-backed. Their head is large, their an- 

 tennx setaceous, and the maxillary palpi salient. Their wings are tecti- 

 form and but slightly reticulated or simply veined. They are extremely 

 active, and live under the bark of trees, in wood, &c. The following spe- 

 cies is commonly found in books and collections of Insects and plants. 



P '. pulsatorius. Usually apterous; yellowish white; eyes and some small 

 spots on the abdomen, russet. It was thought to produce that faint noise 

 resembling the tick of a watch frequently heard in our houses, and of which 

 we have spoken while on the genus Anobium thence the origin of its spe- 

 cific name. 



5. The PERLIDES, in which the tarsi are triarticulated, and the 

 mandibles almost always partly membranous and small. The infe- 

 rior wings are wider than the others, and doubled at their inner 

 martnri. 



