THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 185 



I r 



CHAPTER VI. 



ARCHITECTS AND DEVOURERS OF TOWNS. 



If we transport ourselves to tropical regions, where 

 nature, more vigorous, multiplies on every side the sources 

 of life, we see insects disputing with man for every foot of 

 possession. They make a regular war of it, invading his 

 plantations or his dwelling — a savage pitiless war — which 

 must at times be decided by the cannon. 



This is the case with the warrior-ant in the neighbour- 

 hood of the Cape of Good Hope, which has attracted the 

 attention of every traveller by its extraordinary buildings, 

 and the havoc it makes. 



These Termites {Termites bellicosi), or white ants, as 

 they are frequently though wrongly called,^ live in republics 

 composed of different sorts of individuals : the males, 

 which have wings; and the workmen, soldiers, and queens, 

 which have none. 



The workmen are only occupied in constructing build- 

 ings. 



The mission of the soldiers is to defend the colony and 

 maintain order. 



Lastly come the females, true queens, worshipped Ijy the 

 whole population which look to them for the continuance 

 of their race. They are only monstrous egg-sacks ; regular 



' They do not belong to the same order of insects as our ants ; which are 

 Hymeuoptera, while the Termites are Neuroptera. — Tr. 



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