134 PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. 22, NO. 6, JUNE, IQ2O 



are established by means of subterranean passages, which are 

 extended for long distances by the foraging workers and soldiers. 



Sometimes, however, similar small colonies are found with 

 young second or third reproductive forms present. 



From the foregoing will be seen that it would be possible dur- 

 ing this "pseudo-flight" for adults of the second form from one 

 colony to mate with those of another colony a rather remote 

 possibility in case the exodus were through subterranean gal- 

 leries and exclusive in-breeding avoided, just as in case of the 

 winged colonizing adults. 



In view of the fact that the sex organs of the young second 

 form adults are ready to function at the time of the pseudo-flight 

 which is not true of the young first form adults at the time of 

 the flight copulation undoubtedly occurs as soon as the sexes 

 are established under decaying wood on the ground, under bark, 

 or in some other suitable location. It is probable that many 

 adults congregate together in a suitable habitat. It is extremely 

 doubtful if there ever is monogamous pairing in this caste, as is 

 the rule in the case of the first form adults. 



Indeed, even mating and subsequent cross-breeding between 

 first and second form adults might be brought about by means 

 of the pseudo-flight. But on account of the rarity of the occur- 

 rence of such cross-breeding between two different types of repro- 

 ductive forms in colonies in nature, such an event probably does 

 not often occur. 



These peculiar relations are also, however, usually under con- 

 ditions of polygamy due to congregation of the sexes. It would 

 be rather difficult for even a zealous and adventurous first form 

 male to collect a "harem" of 16 second form females, such a 

 ratio of sexes and castes being found in colonies in the field. But 

 a first form male could enter the habitat of second form repro- 

 ductive types and breed with the females (or the sex relation be 

 reversed), after the sex organs of the first form adults had ma- 

 tured. 



Subterranean Exodus of Third Form Colonizing Adult Termites. 



Young adults of the third form are present in colonies of spe- 

 cies of Reticulitermes in the southeastern United States, at the 

 proper season of the year. Like adults of the second form, these 

 third form adults become sexually mature before the winged 

 adults of the first form. 



The lack of pigmentation to the body and absence of the com- 

 pound eyes very probably indicate a subterranean mode of 

 exodus from the parent colony accompanied, without doubt, by 

 workers and soldiers. If it were necessary for these forms to be 



