Microscopical Essays. sgg 



induces them to march above ground, and at a great diftance 

 from their habitations, carry on a bufinefs of depredation and de- 

 ftruclion, fcarce credible but to thofe who have feen it ; but not- 

 withstanding they live in communities, and are like the ants om- 

 nivorous, though like them at a certain period they are furnifhed 

 with four wings, and emigrate or colonize at the fame feafon, 

 they are by no means the fame kind of infects, nor does their 

 form correfpond with that of ants in any one ftate of their 

 existence. 



The termites refemble the ants alfo in their provident and 

 diligent labour, but furpafs them, as- well as the bees, wafps, 

 beavers, and all other animals, in the arts of building, as much as- 

 the Europeans excel the leaft cultivated favages. It is more than 

 probable they excel them as much in fagacity, and the arts of 

 government ; it is certain they fhew more fubftantial inftances of 

 their ingenuity and induflry than any other animals ; and do, in- 

 fa6t, lay up vaft magazines of provisions and other (lores ; a de- 

 gree of prudence, which has of late years been denied, perhaps 

 without reafon, to the ants. 



The communities confift of one male and one female, (who are 

 generally the common parents of the whole, or greater part of 

 the reft) and of three orders of infects, apparently of very differ- 

 ent fpecies, but really the fame, which together compofe great; 

 commonwealths, or rather monarchies, 



The great Linnaeus having feen or heard of but two of thefe 

 orders, has claffed the genus erroneoufly ; for he has placed it. 

 among the aptera, or infe&s without wings : whereas the chief 



order,. 



