Young Oscar’s spirit he at once concealed,

That cries, each summer night, Kate, Katy-did!

Rose Hill, D. C., June 24, 1864.

If a Katy-did enters your house, an unlooked-for visitor will speedily come. If it sings there, some of your family will be noted for fine musical powers. These superstitions obtain in Maryland.

ORDER IV.
NEUROPTERA.

Termitidæ—White-ants.

The Termites or White-ants (which are ants only by a misnomer) are found in both the Indies, in Africa, and in South America, where they do vast damage, in consequence of their eating and perforating wooden buildings, utensils, furniture, and indeed all kinds of household stuff, which are utterly destroyed by them if not timely prevented. They are found also in Europe, and, about thirty years ago, from the extent of their ravages in the West of France, and particularly at Rochelle, caused considerable alarm.[446]

There is a story commonly told, if not commonly credited throughout India, of the Termites demolishing a chest of dollars at Bencoolen, which is in a great degree cleared up by the following anecdote introduced by Mr. Forbes in his Memoirs: A gentleman having charge of a chest of money, unfortunately placed it on the floor in a damp situation; and, as a matter of course in that climate, the box was speedily attacked by the Termites, which had their burrow just under the place the treasure stood. Soon annihilating the bottom, these devouring insects were not any more ceremonious in respect to the bags containing the specie; which, being thus let loose, fell piece by piece gradually into the hollows in the Termites’ burrow. When the cash was demanded, and not to be found, all were greatly amazed at the wonderful powers, both of teeth and stomachs, of the little marauders, which were supposed to have consumed the silver and gold as well as the wood. But, after some years, however, the house requiring repair, the whole sum was found several feet deep in the earth; and, thanks, the

Termites were rescued from that obloquy which the supposed power of feasting on precious metals had cast on their whole race.[447]