TERMES. J5* 



Genus III. — 'Vermes, 



The difcriminating cliara6lers of tbefe, infe£ts are drawa 

 from the mouth, which is armed with two jaws ; from 

 the fetaceous antennae, and the fix feet, which are formed 

 for walking f . 



There are only three fpecies of thefe fmall Infefts ; to 

 one of which Linnceus has given the name of Pulfatoria, 

 from its being fuppofed to imitate the ticking of a watch, 

 bj ftriking its head again ft the wainfcot in the dead of 

 night. This noife, fo alarming to fome fuperftitious 

 minds, has been called the death watch, and is probably 

 occafioned by the plinus one of the coleopterous infects. 



The termes pulfatorius varies in its colour according 

 to its refidence : When met with in houfes, it is com- 

 monly of a whitifli colour ; if found in the fields, as is 

 fometimes the cafe, it tends more to a brown colour, and 

 is fomewhat hairy J. 



•{■ Syft. Nat. p. 1015. t Earbut's Gen. Infe^.p. 336. 



