OBSERVATIONS ON SOME SOUTH AFRICAN TERMITES. 345 



•of her abdomen, hastens along wherever she may lead. 

 Occasionally two or even three males will follow^ one and the 

 same female, and later the whole party will proceed to burrow 

 into the soil quite amicably. Once the male has taken up his 

 position, the female's objective is some crack in the soil or 

 some small pebble she can easily pass beneath. This reached 

 she immediately begins to burrow, and the male, coming for- 

 ward beside her, assists in the excavation. If a scratch is 

 made in the soil, so as to surround an advancing couple, the 

 female on reaching it will begin to dig ; reacting at once to 

 the stimulus of this suitable but artificial environment. 



The burrow is begun by lifting out the earth particles and 

 placing them around the 



spot. When it is sufficiently ' ^' ' 



deep to accommodate the full 

 length of the body — about 

 three-quarters of an inch — 

 the entrance is closed by a 

 gi-adual process of building 

 in the earth particles until 

 a dome is made. The gallery T. incertus. A pair begimiing 

 is then extended slowly down- *"eir burrow and the same in- 



sects alter about au hour s bur- 

 wards, each particle as re- rowing. About natural size. 



moved from the bottom being- 

 carried up and inserted and carefully compressed into the 

 vault. In doing this the insects work to a very great extent 

 in alternate positions, one excavating at the base whilst the 

 other is placing its burden into the roof above. Hence it 

 comes about that as the burrow is extended downwards it is 

 filled in behind. The insects do not appear to moisten or 

 cement the earth particles in place, the moisture in the soil 

 itself being no doubt sufficient for the purpose. 



Although operations proceed without intermission, and 

 both sexes work rapidly, progress is very slow. This is not 

 so much due to the difficulty of excavating as to the time 

 taken in inserting the particles into the dome. A number of 

 couples, whilst succeeding in burying themselves in ten to 



