Microscopical Essays. 



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old when the abdomen is increafed to three inches in length : 

 they have fometimes been found of near twice that fize. The 

 abdomen is now of an irregular oblong fhape, being contracted 

 by the mufcles of every fegment, and is become one vaft matrix 

 full of eggs, which make long circumvolutions through an innu- 

 merable quantity of very minute veffels, that circulate round the 

 infide in a ferpentine manner, which would exercife the inge- 

 nuity of a Ikilful anatomift to diffeft and develope. This fmgular 

 matrix is not more remarkable for it's amazing extenfion and fize, 

 than for it's periftaltic motion, which refembles the undulating of 

 waves, and continues inceffantly without any apparent effort of 

 the animal ; fo that one part or other alternately is rifmg and 

 finking in perpetual fucceffion, and the matrix feems never at 

 reft, but is .always protruding eggs to the amount, as have been 

 frequently counted in old queens, of fixty in a minute, or eighty 

 thoufand and upwards in one day of twenty-four hours. 



Thefe eggs are inflantly taken from her body by her attendants,, 

 (of whom there always are, in the royal chamber and galleries 

 adjacent, a fufficient number in waiting) and carried to the 

 nurferies, which in a great neft may fome of them be four or five- 

 feet diftant in a ftrait line, and confequently much farther by 

 their winding galleries. Here, after they are hatched, the young 

 are attended and provided with every thing neceflary, until they 

 are able to fliift for themfelves, and take their (hare of the labours 

 of the community. The foregoing is an accurate defcription and 

 account of the termes bellicofus, or fpecies that builds the large 

 nefts, in it's different flates, 



Thofe 



