OF CERTAIN TERMITE NESTS. 20") 



by the growth of the fungus, and sets in after some definite 

 period, and observations tend to show that when this condition 

 is reached the whole structure is removed, probably re-eaten. 

 by the termites. 



Doflein (13) suggests that the fungus on the comb is one 

 which is common on dead wood in the neighbourhood of the 

 nest, and is made use of unwittingly by the termites. He 

 supposes that the chewed wood is partially sterilized by the 

 treatment it undergoes, and converted into a medium suitable 

 only for the growth of this particular fungus, so that practically 

 a pure culture is assured : the partial sterilization, it is sug- 

 gested, destroys the spores of all fungi except the one in 

 question. 



But during an exhaustive search for micro-fungi at Pera- 

 deniya, involving the examination of a large quantity of dead 

 wood and leaves, I have not met with any fungus resembling 

 that on the termite comb, though the general resemblance 

 of the latter to a sporangium would undoubtedly have 

 led to its further examination : if such occurs it is certainly 

 not common. It is also scarcely probable that thin-walled 

 spores should be uninjured by their passage through the ali- 

 mentary canal of the termites seeing that the thick-walled 

 spores, e.g., of Diplodia, are completely destroyed. Diplodias 

 are ubiquitous in the Tropics, but they do not grow on the 

 comb, either before or after removal from the nest, though 

 spores may be found in its substance. The question whether 

 the fungus cultivation on the comb is pure will be dealt with 

 later. That the termites " understand " the value of the 

 fungus seems to be indicated by the re-enclosure of small pieces 

 of comb exposed in a broken chamber even when they contain 

 neither eggs nor larvae. 



This conidial formation with its mycelium is all that occurs 

 in a normal comb. The above account differs so largely from 

 the description given by Holtermann (7) of the fungi of the 

 same nests that it was considered necessary after the receipt 

 of his paper to make a further examination of fresh material. 



