OBSERVATIONS ON SOME SOUTH AFRICAN TERMITES. 335 



and they burrowed to the bottom of the jar. In 1914, similar 

 results attended the mating and re-mating of this species. 



The act of pairing appeai-s to differ in the details of its 

 manifestation with each species, as the following accounts 

 concerning several species will show. 



Hodotermes transvaalensis .sp. n. — This species was 

 noticed upon the wing after nightfall in Pretoria on December 

 30th, 1913, and was again observed at 8 p.m. on December 

 7th, 1914. The actual meeting of the sexes was not seen. 



Many gathered about the electric street lamps, and beneath 

 these some wei^e seen already 



pairedoff with the females lead- Text-kig. 1. 



ing, whilst other individuals, :;*%v >iiJ^>>,, 



male and female, scurried rapid- e ^ -"r^ , ^^ - "' ^^ ^^ . fc =^ =.^--^g ^ 

 ly about, as if in search of one ^ - ~- . — — r -7 



another. As soon as a mated 

 female began to dig, the male 

 took his place by her side and 

 seconded her efforts. Both in- 

 sects are very expert excavators, 



J 1 1.1 Section of initial burrow and cell 



and when once started soon niade by a pair of H. t vans- 

 construct a burrow\ Much of vaalensis. x ^. 

 the loosened soil is scattered by 



the feet, the action resembling a hen scratching. 1 'ebbles of no 

 meanmagnitndeai-e loosened, carried outin theiaws,and placed 

 well to one side of the pit^s mouth. The larger and grosser 

 female displays just as much activity in this work as does the 

 lither and less obese male. Their strength and their aptitude 

 is best illustrated by the fact that they succeeded in burying 

 themselves in the stones and grit of a macadamised roadway. 



If interfered with the insects become most excited, and 

 pairs placed on soil in captivity lied around like cockroaches, 

 taking no notice of one another. When, however, artificial 

 burrows were made, and the insects were dropped head first 

 into them, they became normal at once, and just as instan- 

 taneously began burrowing. 



