TER 
equal, filiform ; two eyes. There are ten 
species, in two sections: A. anteunse nioni- 
liforin ; B. antennas setaceous. 
T. fatale, or w'hite ant, is brown above ; 
thorax with three segments; wings pale 
with a testaceous rib. A most curious and 
wonderful account of this insect is given in 
the Philosophical Transactions, of which we 
shall notice a few particulars. The animal 
of this extraordinary community, far ex- 
ceeding in wisdom and policy the hee, the 
ant, or beaver, are inhabitants 'of East 
India, Africa, and South America. They 
build pyramidal structures ten or twelve 
feet in height, and divided into appropriate 
apartments, magazinesfor provisions, arched 
chambers; and galleries of communication. 
These are so firmly cemented that they 
easily bear four men to stand upon then), 
and in the plains of Senegal appear like the 
villages of the natives. With such wonder- 
ful dexterity and rapidity they destroy food 
furniture, books, clothes, and timber of 
whatever magnitude, leaving a mere thin 
sill face ; that in a few hours a large beam 
will be eaten to a mere shell, not thicker 
than writing paper. Larva small, about a 
quarter of an inch long ; six-footed, pale 
with a roundish testaceous head ; eyes none ; 
mandibles short, strong, and toothed.; an'.’ 
tenn® as long as the thorax and ovate ab- 
domen. These only are the labourers, who 
build the structures, procure provisions for 
the males and females, and take care of the 
eggs ; they are the most numerous. Pupa 
larger, about half an inch long, with a very 
large ovate polished testaceous head ; eyes 
none; mandibles projecting, as long as the 
head, forked, without teeth, sharp and 
black ; thorax and abdomen palish 
TER 
These never work, but act as superin- 
tendams over the labourers, or as guards to 
defend their habitations from intrusion and 
violence. When a breach is made in the 
dwelling, they rush forward and defend the 
entrance with great ferocity ; some of them 
beating with their mandibles against any 
hard substance, as a signal to the other 
guards, or as encouragement to the labour- 
ers; they then retire and are succeeded by 
the labourers, each with a burthen of tem- 
pered mortar in his mouth, and w'ho dili- 
gently set about to repair whatever injury 
has been sustained. One of these attends 
every six or eight hundred labourers who 
are buildipg a wall, taking no active part 
himself, but frequently making the noise 
above mentioned, which is constantly an- 
swered by a loud hiss from all the labour. 
ers, who at this signal evidently redouble 
tneir diligence. 
The male and female are alike, and fur- 
nished with four long horizontal wings- 
head small, brown; mandibles short, acute’ 
toothed; antenn® yellowdsh; eyes globu- 
lar, prominent, black ; thorax with three 
brown or dull testaceous margined seg- 
ments; abdomen ovate; tlie back brown' 
with white streaks ; legs pali.sh. ’ 
These are extricated from the pupa state 
and fly abroad in the night; but soon after 
sun rise, the wings become dry and they 
fall on the ground, and are devoured by 
birds, or sought after by the inhabitants, 
who roast and eat them with groat avidity. 
A few that survive are collected by the 
labourers or larvae, and inclosed by pairs in 
apartments made of clay, the aperture of 
which IS narrowed so that they cannot rai- 
giate, and wdiere they are diligently fed 
and attended by the labourers -whose bo- 
dies are small enough to admit an easy 
entrance. ■' 
After impregnation, the abdomen of the 
female grows to a prodigious bulk, exceed- 
ing the rest of her body nearly two thousand 
limes ; It IS then vesicular and white, with 
transverse brown spots, and an undulate or 
slightly lobed margin. In this state it con- 
tains an immense number of small round 
brown eggs, vvhich arc protruded to the 
amount of eight thousand in twenty-four 
hours. These are instantly taken up by 
the labourers, and conveyed to separate 
chambers, where after they are hatched, 
the young are attended and provided for 
till they are able to shift for themselves 
and take their share in the labours of the’ 
community. 
1 . pulsatoriiis is a very small insect, fre- 
quently found during the summer months 
in houses, particularly where the wainscot 
IS in any degree decayed, and is remarkable 
tor continuing a long continued sound 
resembling the ticking of a watch. 'It is 
very common in collections of dried plants 
which It injures very much. It is of so’ 
tender a frame as to be easily destroyed bv 
the slightest pressure, and is an animal of 
very quick motions. When this insect is 
first hatched, it bears a complete resem- 
blance to a common mite, but after awhile 
and undergoes a complete 
*^otany, a genus of 
the Polygamia Monoecia class and order. 
Natural order of El^agni, Jussieu. Essen- 
tial character: calyx five-parted; corolla 
