122 AEKIV FÖR ZOOLOGI. BAND 12. N:0 15. 



are set apart as gravefields or cemeteries. In every nest 

 of these three species the galleries situated at the very top 

 of the nest wereal ways filled up with dead, dried termites. 

 I have hunted through hundreds and hundreds of nests 

 without finding any dead ones in other parts. 



The reasons for this arrangement are easily understood. 

 Tn a nest so thicklj^ »populated» and with so short a life- 

 time for the inhabitants, cases of death must ocour very 

 frequently. It is of utmost importance to keep up the very 

 best sanatory conditions in order to prevent or check diseases. 

 The termites in question have apparently found out that 

 the very best way of desinfecting the corpses is to exposé 

 them to the very hot sun in the upper galleries, i. e. the 

 hottest parts of the nest, where they dry up very quickly. 



Below the top galleries there are other galleries which are 

 filled with a powdered material consisting chiefly of the 

 chewed and cut parts of the dead, dried termites. Why 

 they are store(J up here I cannot say, but it seems to be 

 most likely that this chewed or finely cut material is used 

 as food for the young ones, which are to be found very 

 plentifuUy in the various parts of the nest. Further observa- 

 tions are badly needed to ascertain the more intimate 

 habits of the three species here mentioned. 



In the grave-fields I have found some few inquilines, 

 among them a little wingless Psocid with strongly incrassated 

 hind femora, a small member of the group Collembola and 

 further a little suite, which will be duly described in a 

 coming paper. 



