THE COASTS OF SAINTONGE. 337 



The neuter Termites preserve through the whole 

 of their lives the characters and attributes which have 

 obtained for them the name of soldiers. Although 

 they hardly number one hundredth part of the popu- 

 lation of the Termites, they constitute a separate 

 class which a writer of the last century would un- 

 doubtedly have compared to the nobility of a mo- 

 narchy, whilst the larvas would have represented 

 the plebeians of the community. At ordinary times 

 they live idle, keeping guard or merely watching the 

 labours of the workers, over whom they exert an 

 evident authority. In times of war they bravely 

 risk their persons, and sacrifice themselves, if neces- 

 sary, for the common safety. At the first stroke of 

 the pick-axe, which lays open one of their galleries, 

 the nearest sentinel is observed to hurry forward. 

 The alarm spreads, and in the twinkling of an eye a 

 crowd of combatants cover the breach, moving their 

 large heads in all directions, and opening and shut- 

 ting their forceps with a loud noise. When once 

 they have seized any object, nothing will make them 

 relinquish their hold, they will allow their limbs and 

 body to be torn in pieces without unlocking their 

 jaws. If they can reach the hands or legs of the 



regarded as so great a delicacy, and which they fattened with flour. 

 The idea of eating worms would not be very inviting to our 

 epicures, but this perhaps may arise from mere prejudice. We were 

 assured some time ago that a worthy citizen of Geneva, with the 

 view of effecting the destruction of the cockchafers, suggested that 

 their larvae might be used as food, and not only eat them himself, but 

 persuaded many of his friends to follow his example, and it was 

 asserted that they were found remarkably good when fried in 

 batter. 



VOL. II. Z 



