The Fungi of certain Termite Nests. 



(Termes redemanni , Wasm. ; and T. obscuriceps, Wasm.) 



BY 



T. PETCH. 

 With Plates V. to XXI. 



r I ^HE knowledge of the existence of fungi in the nests of 

 -*- termites antedates Belt's observations on the habits of 

 the leaf-cutting ants of South America by nearly a century ; 

 yet, though the " fungus gardens " of the latter have been 

 fully described, no attempt seems to have been made to give 

 a complete account of the corresponding structures in the 

 former. On further inquiry, however, it is found that many 

 of the chief points have been noted at one time or another in 

 scattered articles by botanists or entomologists, though it 

 is evident that in many cases the writers have not had an 

 opportunity of confirming their first impressions by a reference 

 to fresh material. 



Smeathman (1) in 1781, after investigations in Tropical 

 Africa, stated that some species of termites had chambers in 

 their habitations in which grew a kind of fungus used by the 

 insects for food. The nurseries were always covered with a 

 kind of mould, and sprinkled all over with small white bodies 

 which under the microscope were found to consist of oblong 

 spore-like cells. This statement is true of the nests of the 

 Ceylon ground termites, though exception may be taken to 

 the apparent suggestion that special chambers are reserved 



Annals of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Vol. III., Part II., Nov., 1906.] 



