the Termites of Africa and other hot Climates . 165 
ment to X la jfhort, it differs fo much from its form and appear- 
ance in the other two ftates, that it has never been fuppofed to 
be the fame animal, but by thofe who have feen it in the 
fame neft ; and fome of thefe have diftrufted the evidence of 
their fenfes. It was fo long before I met with them in the nefts 
myfelf, that I doubted the information which was given me by 
the natives, that they belonged to the fame family (tab. X. fig, 
1.) Indeed we may open twenty nefts without finding one 
winged one, for thofe are to be found only juft before the com- 
mencement of the rainy feafon, when they undergo the laft 
change, which is preparative to their colonization*. Add to 
this, they fometimes abandon an outward part of their 
building, the community being diminifhed by fome acci- 
dent to me unknown. Sometimes too different fpecies of 
the real Ant (Formica) poifefs themfelves by force of a 
lodgement, and fo are frequently diflodged from the fame 
neft, and taken for the fame kind of infedts; This I know 
is often the cafe with the nefts of the fmaller fpecies, 
which are frequently totally abandoned by the Termites, 
and completely inhabited by different fpecies ©f Ants* Cock- 
roaches,- Scolopendrae, Scorpions, and other vermin, fond of 
obfcure retreats, that occupy different parts of their roomy 
buildings; which clearly accounts for your having met with 
the real Ants in thofe nefts in New Holland, 
(19) <1 There is a fort that frequently flies, having red wings. — This flying 
c< fort flings up the largefl: hills, and is wonderfully nimble and indu&rions.” 
kolbein’s Cape of Good Hope, 8vo, vol.II. p. 17^. 
dapper calls' the Wood Ants Acolalan , and fays it becomes as big as one's ' 
thumb, and then takes wing, Defcription de l’Afrique, folio, p. 459* 
Iat 
