Of every species there are three ranks;
first, the working insects or labourers; next
the fighting insects, or soldiers, who do no
kind of labour; and, last of all, the winged
or perfect insects (called kings and queens)
which are male and female, and capable of
reproducing their species. These neither toil
nor fight, being quite incapable of either,
and almost of self-defence. Nature, however,
has so arranged that they emigrate within a
few weeks after they have arrived at this
state, and either establish new kingdoms or
perish in a day or two.

The Ternies bellicosus, is the largest and
best known species of termites on the coast
of Africa, and formed the subject of Smeathman's
observations. The nests of this species
are so numerous all over the island of
Barranas, and the adjacent continent of
Africa, that it is scarcely possible to stand upon
any open place, such as a rice-plantation or
other clear spot, where one or more of these
buildings is not to be seen within fifty paces.

In some parts near Senegal, Adanson
mentions, that their number, magnitude, and
closeness of situation, make them appear like
the villages of the natives. These edifices are
generally called hills, from their outward
appearance, which is that of little hills, or
sugar-loaves, about ten or twelve feet in
height. These hills, at first, are quite bare,
but in time become, like the rest of the
earth, almost covered with grass and other
plants; and, in the dry season, when the
herbage is burnt up by the rays of the sun,
they somewhat resemble very large
haystacks. The exterior of the building consists
of one large dome-shaped shell, large and
strong enough to enclose and shelter the
interior from the weather, and to protect the
inhabitants from the attacks of most of their
enemies. It also serves to collect and preserve
a regular degree of genial warmth and
moisture, which is necessary for hatching the
eggs. The inside is divided, with great
regularity and contrivance, into a great number
of apartments, some of which are intended
for the residence of the kings and queens,
and for the rearing of their progeny; whilst
others serve as magazines, and are always
well filled with stores and provisions. These
hills make their first appearance above ground
by a little turret or two in the shape of
sugar-loaves about a foot high. Soon
afterward, while the first are increasing in size,
the termites raise others at some little
distance, and go on increasing their numbers,
and widening them at the base. They always
raise the highest and largest turrets in the
middle, and by filling up the intervals between
each turret, collect them into one dome. The
small turrets serve as scaffoldings in making
the dome, and when it is completed they take
away the middle turrets, with the exception
of the tops, which, joined together, form the
crown of the cupola.

The royal chamber, so called from its being
occupied by the king and queen, is considered
the most important part of the edifice, and is
always situated as near as possible in the
centre of the hillock. It resembles in shape
half an egg cut lengthwise, and is at first not
above an inch long; afterwards, however, it
is increased to six or eight inches, or even
more, being always in proportion to the size
of the queen, who increases in bulk as she
increases in age. The floor and roof of this
chamber are very solidly built of hardened
clay. Its walls are pierced by several doorways
or entrances, at equal distances from
each other, and large enough to admit the
soldiers and labourers, but not large enough
to allow the king and queen to pass out.
Surrounding the royal chamber are a
number of others, of different shapes and sizes,
but all of them arched: these are occupied
by the soldiers and labourers who guard the
pair, on whose safety depends the existence
of the whole community. These apartments
being connected together by openings and
passages form an intricate labyrinth which
extends a foot or more from the royal chamber
on every side; and they are surrounded
by the magazines and nurseries. The
magazines are chambers of clay, always well filled
with provisions, which consist of the gums
and thick juices of plants. The nurseries,
which contain the eggs and the young ones.,
are entirely composed of wooden materials,
gummed together. These nurseries are
exceedingly compact, and divided into very
small irregularly-shaped chambers, not one
of which is to be found half an inch in width.
When the nest is in the infant state, they are
close to the royal chamber; but as in process
of time the queen grows in bulk, it becomes
necessary to enlarge this chamber for her
accommodation, and as she then lays a greater
number of eggs and needs an increased number
of attendants, the adjacent apartments must
be enlarged and increased in number
correspondingly. For this purpose the small
nurseries that were first built are taken to
pieces, and rebuilt a little further off. The
nurseries are always found slightly
overgrown with mould and plentifully sprinkled
with white globules, about the size of a,
pin's head. Smeathman at first mistook these
globules for eggs, but on closer examination
under a microscope, he found them to be a
species of fungus, in shape like a young
mushroom. The nurseries are enclosed in
chambers of clay, like those which contain
the provisions, but much larger. In the early
state of the nest, the nurseries are not each
larger than a hazel nut; but in old hills they
are often as large as a cocoa-nut. Under the
dome is a large open space, surrounded by
three or four large gothic-shaped arches,
which are sometimes two or three feet high
in front of the area, but diminish rapidly as
they recede, and are soon lost among the
innumerable chambers and nurseries behind
them. There are very few openings into