TERMITES. 543 



posterity, by laying a countless number of eggs. As soon as 

 these are deposited the workers cany them off* and place 

 them in the cells, where they watch over them with the most 

 vigilant care, supplying the larvae with food as soon as they 

 are hatched ; and when the nursery becomes full, carrying 

 some off in their mouths to another cell. While some are 

 thus employed, others increase the size of their abode by run- 

 ning fresh corridors round the edifice, and forming new cells ; 

 while other parties, protected by soldiers, are foraging far and 

 wide for food for the ever-increasing population. 



In process of time — always within twelve months — the 

 numberless progeny of the queen beeome full-grown. Some 

 become developed into labourers, with smooth, rounded heads, 

 ami mouths adapted for carrying loads and working up the 

 materials for the construction of their abodes ; others — the 

 fighting class — have heads of large size, provided with pointed 

 weapons of defence of various shapes, resembling, in different 

 species, horns, pikes, rams ; while others arc furnished with 

 powerful jaws, resembling either sabres, swords, or sickles. A 

 third class appear with eyes, and long, delicate wings — gay, 

 happy creatures, far better formed, it would seem, to enjoy 

 existence than their hard-working brethren. These are the 

 males and females of the community. When they are pre- 

 pared to issue forth from their birth-place, the labourers busily 

 set to work to clear a passage to allow of their speedy egress. 

 This takes place generally on a damp, close, evening or cloudy 

 morning. Countless numbers issue forth at intervals, till the 

 whole progeny of males and females have emerged from their 

 pupa state. They make a loud rustling noise as they fly through 

 the air in all directions ; but they are immediately set upon by 

 numberless enemies, goat-suckers, lizards, spiders, and ants, 



