_'< M ► PBTCH : THE FUNGI 



The Comb and Spheres. 



As previously stated, the comb resembles a coarse bath 

 sponge. The colour of the actual comb-substance varies from 

 yellow-brown to dark brown, but it usually appears gray or 

 glaucous owing to it- covering of fungus hyphae. In combs 

 which contain only workers and soldiers this covering is uni- 

 versal, but when larvae are also present the upper Layers are 

 generally dark brown and show very little Fungus growth. 

 The difference in colour is well marked in the combs figured. 

 These darker layers are tinner and more brittle than those 

 >red with fungi, and it seems probable that they are added 

 to the comb as it disintegrates below. 



The surface of the comb is rough with minute rounded 

 hillocks which suggest that it is (■■imposed of closely packed 

 halls. This is verified by a cross section : the individual balls. 

 aboul '75 mm. diameter, can be clearly distinguished without 

 the aid of a microscope since t heir outer layers are darker than 

 the interior. These halls consist entirely of finely divided 

 vegetable substances : irregular pieces of ringed and pitted 

 vesseh up to 250 p Long, sclerenchymatous cells, tracheides, can 

 listinguished, together with the hyphse and spores of Hel- 

 mirUhosporium, Diplodia, &c.. embedded in a ground substance 

 from which all structure has disappeared. The wood elements 

 still give then characteristic reaction with phloroglucin. The 

 -aiue substances are found in the stomach and intestine of the 

 workers and soldiers, and this , together with the regular arrange- 

 ment of all t he material in small balls, makes it quite dear that 



the comb i- built up exclusively of the excreta of the termites. 



ented together in the same way as tin' walls of the hill. 



Holtermann (6) referred to the combs as the -derotia of an 



and the translator of Ddflein's paper unconsciously 



perpetuates the error by oalling them Termite truffles 

 it must be emphasized that the actual comb ie not of fungus 



'iiiL'in 



mycelium on the oomb is composed of interwoven 

 hyphse .; i .- diametei often united into strands : » l">/' 



