OBSERVATIONS ON SOME SOUTH AFEICAN TERMITES. 385 



examined by the writer. The soldiers and workers were 

 normal, and the queen smaller than others from very much 

 smaller cells. Owing to the fact that the cell had been 

 broken open at one end it was not possible to take its exact 

 measurements ; but for all practical purposes it was 200 mm. 

 long, 110 mm. wide, and 32 mm. high. 



Termes latericius Haviland. PI. XXIX, figs. 1-8; 

 PI. XXX, fig. 11 ; PI. XXXI, fig. 6. 



The juvenile nests of this species are moundless and do not 

 present the characteristic funnels or air-pits of older ones ; 

 further, there is much reason to believe that colonies of some 

 magnitude are established long before an}^ surface indication 

 marks the site of the nest. Surface indications first take the 

 form of simple crusts composed of clay particles cemented 

 together fairly strongly. Such crusts present the character- 

 istic cobble-stone appearance of all new termite work of this 

 nature (PI. XXVI, fig. 19) and are spread more or less flat 

 over the ground with but occasional and inconspicuous, 

 conical elevations. Several of such were noticed in Pretoria 

 and its environs during May and June (1914), and two 

 occurred in a footpath; these latter did not develop, as the 

 constant destruction of the crust seemed to disturb the 

 makers. If the moi'e elevated portions of the crust are 

 removed, they will be found to cap shafts of J to 1 in. 

 in diameter ; possibly the beginnings of the air-pits. 



Lai-ge nests in Natal, the Transvaal and Orange Free State 

 are always readily recognised either by the air-pits or by 

 them and their chimneys (PI. XXXI, fig. 6). T. latericius 

 is a true mound-maker, but air-pits protected by large 

 chimneys have been observed without the least elevation of 

 the soil level, as described by Haviland. There can be no 

 doubt that the mounds represent the soil removed from the 

 pits as well as from the extensive caverns made to accommo- 

 date the main and supplementary fungus-gardens. Where 

 mounds are absent the reason is not at all apparent. 



