676 TERMITES <>K WHITE ANTS. 



moisten the pellets of clay which they bring with fluid from their 

 mouths. In species of Coptotermes and Rhinotermes, and in Termes 

 tenuior, I did not see what manner of cement was used. T. planus 

 lived in shallow chambers eaten in the wood, much after the manner 

 of Calotermes, and had no buildings. 



Observers in America and Europe have concluded that the same 

 colony often possess several nests, only one of which is inhabited by 

 fertile individuals, whose eggs and young- are carried to the other 

 nests. I do not doubt that this is so with a few species; I believe it 

 to be so with 7*. gestroi; nevertheless it is not so with the great 

 majority of species which I have collected. Further, the evidence for 

 such conclusion is, for the most part, negative, and therefore to be 

 treated with great caution. As the search for king and queen goes 

 on hour after hour without success, exhausted patience induces strong 

 wish for a conclusion; and it is then that the difficulty arises of keep- 

 ing the influence of wish from upsetting the even balance of judgment. 



EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 

 PLATE I. 



Nest of Borneau white ant. 



PLATE II. 



Fit*. 1- Hodotermes Havilandi. Soldier. X 3. 



2. Under side of soldier's head. X 3. 



3. Calotermes domeslicus. Soldier (side view) . X 6. 



4. Underside of soldier's head. X 8. 



5. Imago. X 6. 



6. Wing. X 6. 



7. Termes natalensis. Soldier. X 4. 



8. Under side of soldier's head. X 5. 



9. Imago. X 4. 



10. Wing. < 2. 



11. Termes vulgaris. Soldier. X 8. 



12. Under side of soldier's head. X 8. 



13. Imago. X 3. 

 1 1. Wing. X H. 



15. Termes incertus. Soldier. ;•; 8. 



16. Under side of soldier's head. X 8. 



17. [mago. X 4. 



18. Wing. X 2. 



19. Termes Iranians. Soldier. X 10. 



20. Under side of soldier's head. X 12. 



21. Imago. X 6. 



22. Wing. X 3. 



23. Termes translucens. Soldier. X 4. 



24. Under side of soldier's head. X 6. 



25. Imago. X 4. 



26. Wing. X 3. 



