HAUDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



egg, and the period that they remain in the egg 

 state must be a very short one, as it is difficult to 

 find any unhatched, while we know the rate of 

 production to be many thousands per diem from 

 one queen. I should state that the external three 

 or four inches of earth above the mounds was honey- 

 combed like a coarse sponge, although I could 

 perceive no openings on the exterior. It is quite 



surface towards the object they wish to attack, re- 

 maining under cover all the time, and so would not 

 need such an exit. 



We dug out some three feet of earth very cleanly 

 and carefully from under the centre mound, and 

 although we had met with many workers and 

 warriors, we had seen no traces of king or queen, 

 or royal apartments ; but the next stroke of the 



Fig. 2. Fungus in 

 White Ants' nest. 



Fig. I. Galleries in White Ants' nest. 



possible that these may have escaped my notice, as 

 that required for a working termite to pass through 



Fig. 3. Fart of the living rooms. 



Fig. 4. Queen Ant. 



is so exceedingly small ; yet I think that the habits 

 of the insects arc against there having been any 

 such, for they run a gallery underground or on the 



spade revealed a sight I shall not scon forget. 

 Encased by three or four inches of solidified earth, 

 here was the royal chamber. It was between five 

 and six inches in length, with a low domed roof of 

 about one inch in height and three or four inches 

 in width. Its thick walls were pierced in every 

 direction with the smallest holes, through which a 

 nurse carrying one egg, or a warrior, could alone 

 proceed. There was no gallery leading to this cell 

 that I could observe. 



The floor was trodden benulifully smooth from 

 constant use, and in the midst rested the Queen 

 (fig. 4). She was, as shown in the plate, about 

 three inches in length, and presumably about three 

 years old. Utterly unable to 

 move in any direction, here she 

 lived. By her side walked the 

 King (fig. G). 



Both he and the queen have 

 eyes, although all need for them 

 would seem to have ceased 

 when once they commenced 

 their reign. His feet ap- 

 peared to be all right, but the appearance of those 

 of the queen was as if she had pawed on the ground 

 until she had ground down her feet and claws to 



