366 NEUROPTERA 



CHAP. XVI 



The period of development apparently occupies from eighteen 

 to twenty-three months. At intervals swarms of a great number 

 of winged individuals leave the nest, and are usually promptly 

 eaten up by various animals. After swarming, the wings are 

 thrown off, and sometimes two specimens or three may be seen 

 running off together ; this has been supposed to be preliminary 

 to pairing, but Grassi says this is not the case, but that the 

 object is to obtain their favourite food, as we shall mention 

 subsequently. 



Although these are the usual habits of Termes lucifugus at 

 present in Sicily, it must not be concluded that they are invari- 

 able ; we have in fact evidence to the contrary. Grassi has 

 himself been able to procure in confinement a colony or rather 

 the commencement of one accompanied by a true royal pair ; 

 while Ferris has recorded l that in the Landes he frequently 

 found a royal pair of T. lucifugus under chips ; they were 

 accompanied in nearly every case by a few eggs. And Professor 

 Perez has recently placed a winged pair of this species in a box 

 with some wood, with the result that after some months a young 

 colony has been founded. It appears probable therefore that 

 this species at times establishes new colonies by means of royal 

 pairs derived from winged individuals, but after their establish- 

 ment maintains such colonies as long as possible by means of 

 complementary queens. It is far from improbable that distinc- 

 tions as to the use of true and complementary royalties may be 

 to some extent due to climatic conditions. In some localities 

 T. lucifugus has multiplied to such an extent as to be very 

 injurious, while in others where it is found it has never been 

 known to do so. 



The Termitidae of Africa are the most remarkable that have 

 yet been discovered, and it is probably on that continent that the 

 results of the Termitid economy have reached their climax. Our 

 knowledge of the Termites of tropical Africa is chiefly due to 

 Smeathman, who has described the habits of several species, 

 among them T. bellicosus. It is more than a century since 

 Smeathman travelled in Africa and read an account of the 

 Termites to the Eoyal Society. 2 His information was the first 

 of any importance about Termitidae that was given to the 

 world ; it is, as may be well understood, deficient in many 

 1 Ann. Soc. cnt. France (5), vi. 1876, p. 201. 2 Phil. Trans. Ixxi. 1781, pp. 139-192. 



