OBSERVATIONS ON SOME SOUTH AFRICAN TERMITES. 337 



smell, as is the case with T. vulgaris, the directness with 

 which he alights indicates further that, within a circum- 

 scribed radius, the female is visible to him ; the play of the 

 rays of the setting sun upon her half-spread wings render- 

 ing her quite a conspicuous object. 



On this occasion a number of dealated pairs were collected 

 and confined over-night in a small cardboard box. Several 



Text-fig. 2. 



The mating of Termes natalensis. a. Two views of female iu 

 calling attitude on grass-stem. B. Two views of association of 

 sexes. X i. 



of these were successfully re-mated the following morning, 

 three pairs burrowing into the soil contained in large glass jars. 

 All burrowed to the bottom, to a depth of between four and 

 five inches ; and, unable to proceed further downwards, 

 contented themselves by making a more or less globular 

 cell about an inch and a quarter in horizontal diameter and 

 three-quarters of an inch high. Owing to this fortunate 

 circumstance it was possible, after removing the dark shield 

 placed around the jar, to obtain some small view of the 

 actions of the insects. The first pair soon died; the individual 



