the Termites of Africa and other hot Climates . 143 
Beavers, and all other animals which I have ever heard of, in 
the arts of building, as much as the Europeans excel the lead: 
cultivated favages* It is more than probable they excel them 
as much in fagacity and the arts of government ; it is certain 
they fhew more fubftantial inftances of their ingenuity and 
induftry than any other animals ; and do in fact lay up vaft maga- 
zines of prov.iiions and other {lores a degree of prudence 
which has of Jate years been denied, perhaps without reafon, to 
the Ants.^h. 
Such however are the extraordinary circumftances attending 
their oeconomy and fagacity, that it is difficult to determine,- 
whether they are more worthy of the attention of the curious 
and intelligent part of mankind on thefe accounts, or from 
the ruinous confequences of their depredations, which have 
defervedly procured them the name of Fat alls or Deflrutlor . . 
As this is^the cafe, it is a little furprifmg that an accurate 
natural, hiftory off thefe wonderful infedts has not been 
attempted long fince ; efpecially as, according to bosman (who 
wrote the. beginning of this century) in his defcription of the 
Coaft of Guinea, fome curious cicumftances relative to them 
muff have been known. According to that gentleman, the 
King was fuppofed to be as large as a Cray-fiffi ( 2 h This, though 
a . bad cojnparifon, is pretty, near the truth in refpedt to the frze 
of the female, who is the Common Mother of the community ; 
(0 Though Ants have no occafion to lay up itores for winter in cold climates, 
they certainly mull and do carry great quantities of provifions into their nefts to 
feed the young brood; and molt probably provide fome before hand for fear of- 
accidents, which might be fatal to the young ones, who, like all infects in the: 
caterpillar Hate, are very voracious, and cannot bear difappointments of long, 
duration.. 
( 2 ) bos man’s Guinea, p. 260. 
T 4, and* , 
