36 



PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



so great, that one order attempts to fight, or the other to 

 work. 



You have seen how solicitous the Termites are to move 

 and work under cover and concealed from observation ; this, 

 however, is not always the case ; — there is a species larger 

 than T. bellicosus, whose proceedings I have been principally 

 describing, which Mr. Smeathman calls the marching Termes 

 {Termnes viarum). He was once passing through a thick 

 forest, when on a sudden a loud hiss, like that of serpents, 

 struck him with alarm. The next step produced a repetition 

 of the sound, which he then recognised to be that of white 

 ants ; yet he was surprised at seeing none of their hills or 

 covered ways. Following the noise, to his great astonishment 

 and delight he saw an army of these creatures emerging from 

 a hole in the ground ; their number was prodigious, and they 

 marched with the utmost celerity. When they had proceeded 

 about a yard they divided into two columns, chiefly composed 

 of labourers, about fifteen abreast, following each other in close 

 order, and going straight forward. Here and there was seen 

 a soldier, carrying his vast head with apparent difficulty, and 

 looking like an ox in a flock of sheep, who marched on in the 

 same manner. At the distance of a foot or two from the 

 columns many other soldiers were to be seen, standing still or 

 pacing about as if upon the look-out, lest some enemy should 

 suddenly surprise their unwarlike comrades ; — other soldiers, 

 which was the most extraordinary and amusing part of the 

 scene, having mounted some plants and placed themselves on 

 the points of their leaves, elevated from ten to fifteen inches 

 from the ground, hung over the army marching below, and 

 by striking their forceps upon the leaf, produced at intervals 

 the noise before mentioned. To this signal the whole army 

 returned a hiss, and obeyed it by increasing their pace. The 

 soldiers at these signal stations sat quite still during the in- 

 tervals of silence, except now and then making a slight turn 

 of the head, and seemed as solicitous to keep their posts as 

 regular sentinels. The two columns of this army united after 

 continuing separate for twelve or fifteen paces, having in no 

 part been above three yards asunder, and then descended 

 into the earth by two or three holes. Mr. Smeathman con- 



