NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORIES OF NATAL TERMITES. 127 



Swarming takes place in early summer after rain. They 

 Hy around bushes and ultimately settle on them. The male 

 seizes the ventral surface of the abdomen of the female with 

 his wings projecting in front of her head. The female flies 

 away with him in the direction of the wind. On settling, the 

 male loosens his hold, and both male and female shed their 

 wings. The female then proceeds to look for a place of 

 shelter, the male following her. If they should happen to 

 get separated before shedding the wings, the female would 

 fly back to the original bush. The males never seem to shed 

 their wings before being carried oif by the female. 



In high altitudes T. bilobatus were frequently found 

 working in damp cow-dung. 



The species sometimes occurs in deserted, or partially deserted, 

 nests of T. trinervius, or at the edges of flourishing nests of 

 T. natalensis and of T. trinervius. 



Termes trinervius Bamhur. 



It is found all over Natal up to an altitude of 4500 ft. 

 Their mounds are so numerous and conspicuous that there is 

 probably no insect whose distribution could be so readily 

 mapped out. 



Winged imagos are 10 mm. long, head-breadth, 1*9 mm. 



Soldiers are of two sizes and workers of one size. 



Large soldiers are 5'5 mm. long, head-breadth, 1*4 mm.; 

 small soldiers are 4'5 mm. long, and head-breadth, 0*89 mm. ; 

 workers 5*8 mm. long, head-breadth, 1*7 mm. 



The mounds are sub-hemispherical, and reach a diameter of 

 4-5 ft. at the base. The outer shell is hard and strong. The 

 interior of the mound is made up of large inter-communicat- 

 ing cells ; those immediately below the crust are stuffed with 

 bits of grass. The nest is added to in the wet season only. The 

 old shell is pierced in the part to be enlarged and a neAv crust 

 is built over it. The old crust beneath is gradually removed. 



There is only one king and one queen to the nest. They 

 generally live near the centre, but they can move about the 



