32 PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 
perfect societies*; I shall now relate to you some further 
particulars of their history, which will, I hope, give you 
a better opinion of them. 
The majority of these animals are natives of tropical 
countries, though two species are indigenous to Ku- 
rope; one of which, thought to have been imported, is ' 
come so near to us as Bourdeaux. ‘The fullest account 
hitherto given of their history is that of Mr. Smeath- 
man, in the Philosophical Transactions for 1781 ; which, 
since it has in many particulars been confirmed by the 
observations of succeeding naturalists, though in some 
things he was evidently mistaken, I shall abridge for 
you, correcting him where he appears to be in error, 
and adding from Latreille, and the MS. of a French na- 
turalist resident on the spot, kindly furnished by W. J. 
Hooker, esq.>, what they have observed with respect to 
those of Bourdeaux and Ceylon. The white ants, though 
they belong to the Neuwroptera order, borrow their in- 
stinct from the hymenopterous social tribes, and in con- 
junction with the ants (Zormica) connect the two orders. 
Their societies consist of five different descriptions of 
individuals—workers or larvaa—nymphs or pupze—neu- 
ters or soldiers—males and females. 
1, The workers or larve, answering to the hymeno- 
pterous neuters, are the most numerous and at the same 
time most active part of the community; upon whom 
devolves the office of erecting and repairing the build- 
ings, collecting provisions, attending upon the female, 
@ Vot. I. 4th Ed. 241. 
» Author of a very interesting Tour in Iceland, a splendid Mono~ 
graph on the Genus Jungermannia, &c. 
