the Termites of Africa and other hot Climates . 151 
When, thefe hills are at about little more than half their heights 
it is always the practice of the wild bulls to ftand as centinels upon 
them,, while the reft of the herd is ruminating below (tab. 
VII. ). They are fufficiently ftrong for that purpofe, and at their 
full height anfwer excellently as places to look out. I have 
been with four men on the top of one of thefe hillocks.. 
Whenever ' word' was brought us of a veffel in light, we imme- 
diately ran. to Tome Btigga Bug hill, as they are called, and 
clambered up^to get a good view, for upon the common furface 
it was feldom poffible to fee over the grafs or plants, which, in 
fpite of monthly brufhings,, generally prevented all. horizontal! 
views at any diftance. 
The outward ftielli or dome is not only of ufe to protect and 
fupport the interior buildings from external violence and the 
Heavy rains ; but to xolledt and preferve a regular degree of 
genial warmth and moifture which feems very neceflary for 
hatching the eggs and cherilhing the young ones. 
The royal chamber*, which I call fo on account of its being 
adapted^ for,, and: occupied, by, , the king and queen,, appears to 
be in the opinion of this little people of the moft confequence, 
being always lituated as near the center of the interior building 
as poffible, and generally about the height of the common fur- 
face of the ground, at a pace or two from the hillock. It is 
always nearly in. the fhape of half an egg or an obtufe oval 
within, and may be fuppofed to reprefent a long oven (tab. 
VIII. fig, 1. and 2. % 
I11 the infant ftate of the colony,, ibis not above an inch or 
thereabout in length ; but in time will be increafed to fix or 
eight inches- or: more in the clear, .being always in proportion to 
the fize of the queen % who, increafing in . bulk as in age, at 
length, requires a chamber of fuch dimenfions.- 
