Excerpt: ...the bivouac, taking a path through the forest. "Oh papa, here's a great sponge!" cried Lucien, suddenly. On our right there was a shapeless, porous, yellowish mass, rising three or four feet above the ground. I saw at 232 once that it was the nest of a termite, or ant, which the Mexicans call comejen. "It is a nest of white ants," I said to my son; "they are insects of the neuropteral order, and allied to the libellula." "But where are they?" "You will soon see," I answered. So, kicking the spongy mass, ...
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Excerpt: ...the bivouac, taking a path through the forest. "Oh papa, here's a great sponge!" cried Lucien, suddenly. On our right there was a shapeless, porous, yellowish mass, rising three or four feet above the ground. I saw at 232 once that it was the nest of a termite, or ant, which the Mexicans call comejen. "It is a nest of white ants," I said to my son; "they are insects of the neuropteral order, and allied to the libellula." "But where are they?" "You will soon see," I answered. So, kicking the spongy mass, immediately out came a multitude of insects, which swarmed about in every direction, as if to ascertain the cause of the disturbance. Lucien wanted to examine them closer. "Take care," I called out to him; "the termites you see are nothing but the inoffensive workers; the soldier ants will soon make their appearance, and if they bite you they will certainly draw blood." Lucien looked at me, thinking I was joking. "I am speaking quite seriously," I hastened to add; "termites, like bees and ants, the latter of which they much resemble at first sight, live in communities, and build nests which are often larger than the one you are looking at. This nest, skillfully divided into cells, contains a king, a queen, workmen, and soldiers. The workmen are the clever architects, whose duty it is to build, maintain, and, in case of need, increase the curious edifice which you took for a sponge. The only duty of the soldiers is fighting against enemies that attempt to disturb the peace of the colony." "But I see thousands of holes; does each termite have a separate chamber?" "Not exactly; there is first a chamber for the queen, which is the largest; then comes the nursery, afterwards a large compartment, in which the working ants place the eggs which the queen lays night and day." "How I should like to see all this!" Being convinced that practical illustration is better than the clearest explanation, I again struck the nest. The 233 workmen, who were beginning to...
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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Illus. with engravings. Nearly fine copy in the original gilt-decorated cloth. 8vo, 491 pp., Bound in brown cloth with gilt-decorated spine and front cover. Nice, bright copy., Edited and adapted by Parker Gillmore. Not dated but circa 1880.
