i Bo ' Mr. smeathman’s Account of 
Thefe Infects are not lefs expeditious in deflroying the- 
(helves, wainfcotting, and other fixtures of an houfe, than the 
houfeitfelf. They are for ever piercing and boring in all direc- 
tions, and fometimes go out of the broadfide of one pofl 
into that of another joining to, it ; but they prefer and always, 
deftroy the fofter fubftances the firff, and are particularly 
fond of pine and fir-boards, which they excavate and carry away 
with wonderful difpatch and ahonifhing cunning : for, except a 
jfhelf has fomething handing upon it, as a book, or any thing 
elfe which may tempt them, they will not perforate thefurface, 
but artfully preferve it quite whole,, and eat away all the inftde, 
except a few fibres which barely keep the two fides. connected 
together, fo that a piece of an inch-board which appears folid 
to the eye will, not weigh much more than two fheets of pafle- 
board of. equal dimenfions, after thefe animals have been a little 
while in poheffion of it h 8 ) (39) (4?) (4 1 ). In fhort, the Termites are 
fo. 
u The black lead pencils were like-wife fo completely destroyed, that the fmallell 
it piece, even of the black lead could not be found. The cloaths were not 
“- entirety cut to pieces- and carried 'away, but appeared as if moth-eaten, there 
“ being fcarce a piece as large as a fliilling that was free from fmalt holes ; and 
m it was further remarkable, that fome Jtlver c&in, which was in the trunk, had a 
m number of black fpecks on it, caufed by fomething fo corrofive that they could; 
“ not eafily be rubbed off even with fand.” Queen’s-fquare, Wednefday, Jan. 
17, 1781. 
(38) “ The white Ants are tranfparent as glafs, and bite fo forcibly, that in 
u the fpace of one night alone they can eat their way through a thick wooden 
u c p e ft of goods, and make it as full of holes, as if it had been foot through 
« with hail-fhot. 5 * bos man’s- Guinea, p. 276, 7; 493, 
(39) moore’s Travels, p. 2-21. 
{40) Voyage de labat auxlfles, tom. II. p. 33I. 
(41) “ The wood Ants are the moh pernicious of all others, being fo very 
definitive- to timber of- moft- forts, that, if not prevented, they will in a few 
