TERMITID^. 587 



ing the same idea in different groups, here leaps over as it 

 were whole groups of insects, as if by prophecy pointing out 

 the advent of still more perfect forms and higher intelligences. 

 Geology teaches us that the white ant and other Neuroptera 

 preceded in time, as they do in structure, their higher ana- 

 logues. 



The genus Calotermes differs from Termes in its small head, 

 the large, transverse, oblong prothorax, the veined costal area, 

 and in the tarsi being furnished with an apical plantula (or 

 foot-pad situated between the claws). C. castaneus Burmeis- 

 ter is almost cosmopolitan, occurring in Western and tropical 

 America. In Termopsis the head is large, the ocelli are ab- 

 sent, and the prothorax is small, otherwise it agrees with Calo- 

 termes. T. angusticollis Linn, is found in the Pacific States. 

 The type of the family, Termes, has a large rounded head, 

 with two ocelli, and a small heart-shaped prothorax ; the costal 

 area is free, while the foot-pad (plantula) is absent. Our com- 

 mon white ant, Termes flavipes Kollar is found from Massachu- 

 setts southward, under stones, sticks and in stumps. It is of 

 a chestnut color, head and prothorax black brown, with brown- 

 ish antennae ringed with a paler hue, with white, very delicate 

 wings, and the mouth, tibiae and tarsi are yellow. The work- 

 ers are white, with honey yellow heads. The white ants of 

 Africa live together like ants in colonies of vast extent. 

 The males and females are winged and closely resemble 

 each other as usual. There are two wingless forms ; the 

 soldiers, which have large square heads, and long powerful 

 mandibles, with a large prothorax, and the workers which 

 have small rounded heads and minute, nearly obsolete mandi- 

 bles. There also occur among the workers certain individuals 

 (Nasuti) which have the front of the head prolonged into a 

 horn. All these wingless individuals are asexual, the organs 



o i o 



of reproduction being undeveloped. They have been consid- 

 ered to be larvae by eminent authorities, but they are found in 

 the nest in abundance when the males and females have arrived 

 at maturity. They must, therefore, be considered like the 

 workers among bees and ants* as individuals specialized, or set 

 apart for the performance of certain duties involving the in- 

 crease and preservation of the entire colony. Thus the sol- 



