332 CLAUDE FULLER. 



for termites, and none very thoroughly, these generalities call 

 for some verification. 



In the south-west Cape, where termites are regarded as 

 rare and Avhere, as at Cape Town, white-ant attacks upon 

 wooden structures are practically, if not wholly, unknown, 

 Hodotermes viator exists abundantly, and a brief search 

 in the neighbourhood of Stellenbosch, made for the writer 

 by Mr. C. P. van der Merwe, revealed this and three other 

 species. 



In the Grreat KaiTOO Hodotermes karrooensis is almost 

 ubiquitous and, in restricted areas. Enter me s trinervius 

 also abounds ; builders of large mounds, other than the last- 

 mentioned insect, are seemingly non-existent, but there is 

 little evidence on this point, and nothing is known of subter- 

 ranean and rock-nesting forms. 



Over the whole of the central area of the Orange Free State, 

 the abundance of Eutermes trinervius is phenomenal ; 

 other forms are reported from various parts. 



In Natal and the Transvaal it is no exaggeration to say that 

 the soil is riddled from end to end of the country with termite 

 tunnellings, through which an inconceivable host of insects 

 constantly passes to and fro. 



In two small areas at Pietermaritzburg (784 square yards 

 each), the writer reported (3) finding fourteen and sixteen 

 nests respectively, the homes of six dilferent species. This, 

 however, was an observation based solely upon surface indi- 

 cations. Latterly, a favourable opportunity presented itself to 

 observe subterranean conditions at Pretoria in the case of 

 extensive excavations which were being made for the founda- 

 tions of certain large Grovernment buildings. These works, 

 covering two to three acres, were visited almost daily, and 

 many of the observations detailed later were made during their 

 progress. It was found that the soil was inhabited by eight 

 species ; to a depth of 4 to 5 ft. it was riddled with their 

 galleries, and not a cubic yard existed which did not contain 

 one or more cavities belonging to one species or another. 



