34 



PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



increasing population ; and the direction of their covered 

 ways must often be varied, when the old stock of provision is 

 exhausted and new discovered. 



The collection of provisions for the use of the colony is 

 another employment, which necessarily calls for incessant 

 attention : these to the naked eye appear like raspings of 

 wood ; — and they are, as you have seen, great destroyers of 

 timber, whether wrought or unwrought : — but when exa- 

 mined by the microscope, they are found to consist chiefly of 

 gums and the inspissated juices of plants, which, formed into 

 little masses, are stored up in magazines of clay. 



When any one is bold enough to attack their nest and 

 make a breach in its walls, the labourers, who are incapable of 

 fighting, retire within, and give place to another description of 

 its inhabitants, whose office it is to defend the fortress when 

 assailed by enemies : — these, as observed before, are the 

 neuters or soldiers. If the breach be made in a slight part of 

 the building, one of these comes out to reconnoitre ; he then 

 retires and gives the alarm. Two or three others next appear, 

 scrambling as fast as they can one after the other ; — to these 

 succeed a large body, who rush forth with as much speed as 

 the breach will permit, their numbers continually increasing 

 during the attack. It is not easy to describe the rage and 

 fury by which these diminutive heroes seem actuated. In 

 their haste they frequently miss their hold, and tumble down 

 the sides of their hill : they soon, however, recover them- 

 selves, and, being blind, bite every thing they run against. 

 If the attack proceeds, the bustle and agitation increase to 

 a tenfold degree, and their fury is raised to its highest pitch. 

 Wo to him whose hands or legs they can come at ! for they 

 will make their fanged jaws meet at the very first stroke, 

 drawing as much blood as will counterpoise their whole body, 

 and never quitting their hold, even though they are pulled 

 limb from limb. The naked legs of the Negroes expose them 

 frequently to this injury ; and the stockings of the European 

 are not sufficient to defend him. 



On the other hand, if, after the first attack, you get a little 

 out of the way, giving them no further interruption, sup- 

 posing the assailant of their citadel is gone beyond their reach, 



