1 82 Mr. smEatHman’s Account of 
will enter at the bottom, and eat all but the bark, which will 
remain, and exhibit the appearance of a lolid flick (which fome 
vagrant colony of Ants or other infefls often fhelter in till 
the winds difperfe it) ; but if they cannot truft the bark, they 
cover the whole flick with their mortar, and it then looks as 
if it had been dipped into thick mud that had been dried on* 
Under this covering they work, leaving no more of the flick 
and bark than is barely fufficient to flipport it, and frequently 
not the fmalleft particle, fo that upon a very fmali tap with 
your walking flick, the whole flake, though apparently as thick 
as your arm, and five or fix feet long, lofes its form, and 
difappearing like a fhadow falls in fmali fragments at your 
feet. They generally enter the body of a large tree which 
has fallen through age or been thrown down by violence, on 
the fide next the ground, and eat away at their leifure within 
the bark, without giving themfelves the trouble either to 
cover it on the outfide, or to replace the wood which they have 
removed from within, being fomehow fenfible that there is no 
neceflity for it. Thefe excavated trees have deceived me two or 
three times in running t for, attempting to ftep two oi three feet 
high, 1 might as well have attempted to ftep upon a cloud, and 
have come down with fucli unexpected violence, that, befides 
fhaking my teeth and bones almoft to diflocation, I have been 
precipitated, head foremoft, among the neighbouring trees 
andbufhes. Sometimes, though feldom, the animals are 
known to attack living trees ; but not, I apprehend, before 
fymptoms of mortification have appeared at the roots, fince it is 
evident, as is before obferved, that thefe infeCts are intended in 
the order of nature to haften the difiolution of fuch trees and 
vegetables as have arrived at their greateft maturity and per- 
5 fe&ion* 
