Microscopical Essays. 



3 ! 3 



that a piece of an inch-board, which appears folid to the eye, 

 will not weigh much more than two meets of pafleboard of equal 

 dimenfions, after thefe animals have been a little while in pof- 

 feffion of it. In fliort, the termites are fo infidious in their attacks, 

 that we cannot be too much on our guard againft them: they 

 will ibmetimes begin and raife their works, efpecially in new 

 houfes, through the floor. If you deftroy the work fo begun, 

 and make a fire upon the fpot, the next night they will attempt 

 to rife through another part ; and if they happen to emerge un- 

 der a cheft, or trunk, early in the night will pierce the bottom, 

 and deftroy or fpoil every thing in it before the morning. On 

 thefe accounts the inhabitants fet all their chefls and boxes 

 upon ftones or bricks, fo as to leave the bottoms of fuck furni- 

 ture foine inches above the ground, which not only prevents 

 thefe infects finding them out fo readily, but preferves the bot- 

 toms from a corrofive damp, which would flrike from the earth 

 through, and rot every thing therein: a vaft deal of vermin 

 alfo would harbour under, fuch as cockroaches, centipedes, mil- 

 lepedes, fcorpions, ants, and various other noifome in feels. 



Though the view we have given of the various proceedings of 

 infeds in forming their habitations, has already run to fome 

 length, we cannot with propriety neglect taking fome further no- 

 tice of the wonderful induftry and art which is mani felled in thefe 

 refpecls by the caterpillar; and more particularly fo, as "it is by 

 it we obtained the foundations of all our prefent knowledge of 

 the natural hiflory of infects. 



Some fpecies of caterpillars form a kind of hammock, in which 

 they eat and go through their varied changes ; while others erect 



Qq a tent. 



