500 
WHITE ANTS. 
« The Termites arborum , those which build iri 
trees, frequently establish their nests within the 
roofs and other parts of houses, to which they do 
considerable damage, if not timely extirpated. The 
large species are, however, not only much more de- 
structive, but more difficult to be guarded against, 
since they make their approaches chiefly under 
ground, descending below the foundations of houses 
and stores of several feet from the surface, and 
rising again either in the floors; or, entering at the 
bottoms of the posts, of which the sides of the 
buildings are ■ composed, bore quite through them, 
following the course of the fibres to the top, or 
making lateral perforations and cavities here and 
there as they proceed. 
“ While some are employed in gutting the posts, 
others ascend from them, entering a rafter or some 
other part of the roof. If they once find the 
thatch, which seems to be a favourite food, they 
soon bring up wet clay, or build their pipes or gal- 
leries through the roof in various directions, as long 
as it will support them ; sometimes eating the palm- 
tree leaves and branches of which it is composed, 
and perhaps (for variety seems very pleasing to 
them) the rattan or other running plant, which is 
used as a cord to tie the various parts of the roof 
together, and that to the posts which suppoit it: 
thus, with the assistance of the rats, who during the 
rainy season are apt to shelter themselves there, 
and to burrow through it, they very soon ruin the 
house by weakening the fastenings and exposing 
