the Termites of Africa and other hot Climates, j6y 
a few hours, and after the rifing of the fun not one in a thou- 
fand is to be found with four wings, unlefs the morning con- 
tinues rainy, when here and there a folitary being is feen wing- 
ing its way from one place to another, as if folicitous only to 
avoid its numerous enemies, particularly various fpecies of 
Ants which are hunting on every fpray, on every leaf, and in 
every poffible place, for this unhappy race, of which probably 
not a pair in many millions get into a place of fafety, fulfil 1 
the firfb law of nature, and lay the foundation of a new com- 
munity. 
•Not only all kinds of ants, birds-,, and carnivorous reptiles,, 
as well as infers, are upon the hunt for them, but the inha- 
bitants of many countries, and particularly of that part of 
Africawhere I was, eat them .■(“) ( 22 ) ( 2 3) (h) ( z 5> 
On: 
( 21 ) Mr. konig, in an Eflay upon thefe- Infers, read before the Society of 
JSaturalifts of Berlin, fays, That, - in fome parts of the Eaft Indies, . the queens 
are given alive to old men for ftrengthening the back, and that the natives have a 
method of catching the winged infefts, which he calls females, before the time 
of emigration. They make two holes in the neft ; . the one to windward, and 
the other to leeward. At the leeward opening they place the mouth of a : 
pot, previoufly rubbed within wdth an aromatic herb called Berger a, which is 
more valued there than the laurel in Europe. On the windward fide they 
make a fire of linking materials, which not only drives thefe in-fe&s into the pots, 
but frequently the hooded fnakes alfo, on which account they are obliged to be 
cautious in removing them. By this method they catch great quantities, of 
which they make with flour: a variety of paltry, which they can .afford to fell very 
cheap to the. poorer ranks- of people. Mr. konig adds,, that in feafons when 
this kind of food is very plentiful, the too great ufe of it brings on an epidemic 
colic , and dyfentery, which kills, in . two or. three hours, . 
I -have 
