proceedings: biological society 305 



Regular Program 



T. H. Snyder: An account of the habits of Termites or White Ants. 



Injury caused by termites to buildings, etc., in the United vStates is 

 often supposed to be caused by species imported from the tropics, but 

 this is not the case. There are 39 species representing 10 genera in 

 the United States, more than the known species of such tropical coun- 

 tries as Japan, Cuba and Hawaii combined, or of Japan, the Re- 

 public of Panama and Hawaii combined. Termites occur far north in 

 North iVmerica and also at great altitudes. 



While Nearctic termites are not as spectacular as the tropical species 

 (they do not construct mounds, but nest in the earth or wood), there 

 are many interesting species with peculiar habits among them. 



Many of the habits of the social insects have been attributed to such 

 instincts or feelings as parental feelings of man. Such "anthro- 

 pomorphisms" are as a rule false. Many of the instincts of insects, 

 such as the care of the brood, queen, etc., can te explained by purely 

 selfish motives, e.g., eagerness for body exudates, while other instinctive 

 behavior is due to odor of body, contact, etc. 



There is considerable damage to the woodwork of improperly con- 

 structed buildings by termites in the United vStates; new as well as old 

 buildings are infested. Much of the damage to the woodwork of 

 buildings in the United vStates by termites {Reticidiiermes spp.) can 

 be prevented by completely isolating all wood in contact with the ground. 

 When once this source of moisture is shut off, the soft-bodied termites 

 soon disappear. 



Instead of one type of "queen" mother there are several types of 

 "queens" or reproductive forms of termites. Wliile studies of termites 

 have been made in many countries for hundreds of years, knowledge of 

 the biology is far from complete. 



Mr. vSnyder illustrated his paper with lantern slides of several forms 

 of termites and of their work. The paper was discussed by L. O. 

 Howard and Wm. Palmer. 



William Palmer : Some birds of the Chesapeake Bay. 



An account was given concerning the occurrence and habits of some 

 thirty species of birds, mostly water birds, that have been observed 

 during several years along some twenty miles of the Calvert Cliffs of 

 the Western Shore of Maryland. One species, the Shearwater, seen 

 in summer, was a straggler from the ocean ; while another, a land species, 

 chuck-will's-widow, was mentioned as a regular summer resident, 

 the northern range of the species being greatly extended. Mention was 

 also made of the regularity of the coloring of the toad, Bvfo fowleri, 

 occurring along that part of the Coastal Plain, as contrasted with the 

 great diversity of the same species about Washington, D. C. It was 

 also mentioned that some unknown cause had brought about the 

 death of numerous cats in the farmhouses of northern Calvert Countv; 



