It appears to us a great pity that the woods we have named, or some of them, are not brought over to England in large quantities for harbour works. In Ceylon and India, the trees are felled by Indian wood-cutters at little cost; they are then dragged to the river banks by elephants or buffaloes, to be floated down the rivers to the different ports, so that labour is cheap. The question then remains, how to get the woods to England? When the ‘Great Eastern ship has finished carrying cables, perhaps its owners will not object to send the ship on a few voyages with heavy cargoes to India, Demerara, &c., bringing home “teredo-proof woods,” _at moderate charges for freight_? Finally, to place the subject in a practical form, we think the Institute of Civil Engineers, of London, would be heartily thanked by the engineering world if they would appoint a committee to inquire into the damages done to works by sea-worms; why they are found in some parts of a roadstead or harbour, and not in others; to consider the different remedies which have been proposed, their cost, and method of application; what course should be adopted to prevent sea-water injuriously affecting iron piles; and lastly, to publish a detailed account of their experiments and recommendations. CHAPTER VIII. ON THE DESTRUCTION OF WOODWORK IN HOT CLIMATES BY THE TERMITE OR WHITE ANT, WOOD-CUTTER, CARPENTER BEE, &c., AND THE MEANS OF PREVENTING THE SAME. Of the ant proper, or that belonging to the order _Hymenoptera_, there are three species[24] in particular which attack timber, viz.: 1st. _Formica fuliginosa_, or black carpenter ant, which selects hard and tough woods. 2nd. _Formica fusca_, or dusky ant, which prefers soft woods. 3rd. _Formica flava_, or yellow ant, which also prefers soft woods. The carpenter bee prefers particular kinds of wood. In India it is very fond of cadukai (_Tamil_) wood, which is often used for railway sleepers. Round the holes it makes there is a black tinge, arising, probably, from the iron in its saliva acting on the gallic acid of the timber. Providing it meets with the wood it prefers, it is not very particular whether it is standing timber, or the beams of a residence.