178 BULLETIN 108, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



RETICULITERMES HUMILIS. var. HOFERI Banks. 



For taxonomy see p. 53. 



This variety of R. humilis Banks was established by Mr. Banks for 

 specimens from Sabino Canyon, Santa Catalina Mountains, and 

 Nogales, Arizona. They are different from specimens of humilis 

 from Post Canyon, Pinaleno Mountains, Flagstaff, and other speci- 

 mens from the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona. This termite was 

 named after George Hofer, who has been active in collecting termites. 



The writer found workers and soldiers in Sabino Canyon on May 

 17, 1917, in the dead stem of cactus {Opuntia spinosier). In Cala- 

 basis Canyon, near Nogales, on May 20, the writer found workers and 

 soldiers in the dry, hard, moist wood of an oak stump. (PL 32). On 

 February 14, 1918, George Hofer found workers, soldiers, and n5rmphs 

 with short wing pads in the stem of a dead cactus (Opuntia) in Sabino 

 Canyon. Hofer again found workers and soldiers of this termite 

 honeycombing the root of a living bush of Cassia coresii, on August 2 1 , 

 1918, in Sabino Canyon. The wood was spotted with excrement. 



On March 20, 1919, Hofer found a colony on Rock Creek, in Sabino 

 Canyon, at an altitude of 4,000 feet, between the bark and wood and 

 from the heartwood of the stump of a dead tree (Garrya wrightii). 



RETICULITERMES TUMICEPS Banks. 



For taxonomy see p. 53. 



A colony of R. tumiceps Mas found by Prof. W. M. Wheeler on 

 July 27, 1917, at Stratton in the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona, 

 elevation 6,000 to 7,000 feet. Only workers and soldiers were in 

 tliis colony, but Mr. Banks recognized that it was a new species from 

 the soldier caste. ^ 



Subfamily Termitinae Banks. 



Genus AMITERMES Silvestri. 



The genus Amitermes includes a very interesting species (A. 

 meridionalis Froggatt) of Australia, which constructs the remarkable 

 "meridional" or "magnetic nests" found from near the Bloomfield 

 River, North Queensland, to Palmerston, Port Dai-win. The Meridian 

 white ants build long narrow structures, always running from east to 

 west, and never vary from that direction (D. Le Soeuf, 1894).^ Holtze 

 states according to Froggatt (1897) that "these nests average from 

 10 to 12 feet in length in the form of a wall convex on one side and 

 concave on the other, the sides respectively facing the rising and 

 setting sun." They are about 8 feet in height, with the top straight, 

 crowned with little turrets. Jack states (1897) that the reason that 

 they are built at this angle is to secure the maximum of desiccation, 



1 On July 5, 1919, G. Hofer collected pale, yellowish brown winged adults fljing to lamplight in Sabino 

 Canyon, Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona, which may be B. tumiceps or a new species. This is the 

 first record that I have of species of Reticulitermcs flying to light. 



« An error. See Froggatt. 



