364 NEUROPTERA CHAP. 



population. The growth of the individuals is slow ; it appears 

 that more than a year elapses between the hatching of the egg 

 and the development of the winged Insect. The soldier may 

 complete its development in less than a year ; the duration of its 

 life is not known ; that of the kings and queens must be four or 

 five years, probably more. After the winged Insects leave the 

 colony they associate themselves in pairs, each of which should, 

 if all goes well, start a new colony. 



The economy of Term.es hicifugus, the only European Termite 

 besides Calotermes flavicollis, has been studied by several 

 observers, the most important of whom are Lespes * and Grassi 

 and Sandias. This species is much more advanced in social life 

 than Calotermes is, and possesses both workers and soldiers 

 (Fig. 231, 2, 3); the individuals are much smaller than those of 

 Calotermes. Burrows are made in wood of various kinds, furni- 

 ture being sometimes attacked. Besides making excavations 

 this species builds galleries, so that it can move from one object 

 to another without being exposed; it being a rule subject to 

 certain exceptions that Termites will not expose themselves 

 in the outer air. This is probably due not only to the 

 necessity for protection against enemies, but also to the fact 

 that they cannot bear a dry atmosphere ; if exposed to a drying 

 air they speedily succumb. Occasionally specimens may be seen 

 at large ; Grassi considers these to be merely explorers. Owing 

 to the extent of the colonies it is difficult to estimate with 

 accuracy the number of individuals composing a community, but 

 it is doubtless a great many thousands. Grassi finds the economy 

 of this species in Sicily to be different from anything that has 

 been recorded as occurring in other species ; there is never a true 

 royal pair. He says that during a period of six years he has 

 examined thousands of nests without ever finding such a pair. 

 In place thereof there are a considerable number of complementary 

 queens that is, females that have not gone through the full 

 development to perfect Insects, but have been arrested in various 

 stages of development. In Fig. 231, Nos. 4 and 5 show two of 

 these abnormal royalties ; No. 4 is comparatively juvenile in 

 form, while No. 5 is an individual that has been substituted in 

 an orphaned nest, and is nearer to the natural condition of perfect 

 development. We have no information as to whether any develop- 



1 Ann. Sci. Nat. Zool (4) v. 1856, p. 227. 



