340 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



their armies march by him*, but in general they do 

 not appear above ground. Every nest that is built 

 on a level with the soil or below it, is characterised 

 in all the species by having subterranean galleries, 

 which radiate in all directions, and often to very 

 considerable distances from the point of their origin. 

 Even the Tree-Termites construct a long tube which 

 reaches to the ground and serves as the centre of 

 their covered roads. All the species, moreover, have 

 the same habits, and their innumerable squadrons 

 are incessantly on the watch to discover some organic 

 body which they may devour; and this instinct 

 renders them so formidable to man, that Linna3us 

 has not hesitated to designate them as the greatest 

 scourge of the Indies, f 



Invisible to the eyes of those whom they threaten, 

 the Termites carry their galleries to the very walls 

 of inhabited buildings or storehouses, descend beneath 

 the foundations, and make their way up again through 

 the interior; and from this time they are entire 

 masters of the place. Some attack the woodwork, 

 the furniture, and provisions of every kind, whilst 

 others, without deviating from their course, demolish 

 the floors and roofs; but being always careful of 

 avoiding the light, they scrupulously respect the 

 surface of the objects which they attack and content 

 themselves with gutting the interior. If the spot 

 appears favourable to them and there seems much to 



* This species is different from those of which we have hitherto 

 spoken, and our author gives them the name of Marching Termites 

 ( Termes viarum). 



f " Termes utriusque Indise Calamitas summa." Systema Natures, 



