2 3 o SCIENCE PROGRESS 



which bear conidiophores of different types. These are 

 considered conidial stages of the agaric, and the cultivation 

 is, if this view is correct, a " pure culture " of the fungus. 



Since Moller described the habits of the leaf-cutting ants — 

 and demonstrated the truth of Belt's supposition that they 

 cultivated fungi for food — no instance of a similar relation 

 between insects and fungi has been established. There have 

 been, it is true, many references to the occurrence of fungi 

 in the nests or burrows of insects ; but until recently none of 

 these had been investigated with any degree of completeness. 



Probably the best known, and the oldest, example is the 

 occurrence of fungi in the nests of termites (white ants). 

 Smeathman recorded this in 1781, and all subsequent investi- 

 gators of termites have mentioned it. Haviland describes 

 several species from Africa, Borneo, and Malaya as "fungus 

 eaters." Yet the idea spreads slowly, and we find that an 

 Indian termite has lately been named Termes tnycophaga, as 

 though the habit were a recently discovered peculiarity of 

 one species. The multiplicity of references has probably 

 given rise to the idea that the connection between the insects 

 and the fungus has been thoroughly investigated — whereas, 

 in reality, all we know consists of more or less chance observa- 

 tions. Recent researches in Ceylon have shown how close is 

 the parallel to the similar habit of the leaf-cutting ants, and at 

 the same time have thrown some doubt on the conclusions 

 which have generally been deduced from Moller's observations. 

 The facts stated in the sequel refer to the nests of common 

 Ceylon species of Termes : T. rcdemanni, Wasm. ; T. obscuriceps, 

 Wasm. ; T. ceylonicus, Wasm. ; and a fourth not yet identified. 



The Termite Nest 



As is well known, a termite nest or hill is usually a more 

 or less conical mound of earth, cemented together by the 

 secretions of the insects. It terminates above in one or more 

 hollow pinnacles or " chimneys," whose bore extends down 

 to the base of the nest. It has, however, not been generally 

 recognised that the nest (in Ceylon species) is as extensive — 

 often more extensive — below ground as above ; and in 

 consequence theories which will not bear examination have 

 been advanced as to the use of these chimneys. The nest of 

 T. redemanni or T. obscuriceps is for a long time entirely under. 



