January, 1873. 173 



White-Ants (Termitidce) . 



Excepting in the extreme south, Europe is happily free from these 

 pests, and I have never yet seen any species aKve. Their habits are, 

 of course, gregarious ; and Mr. Bates' ' Naturalist on the Amazons ' 

 gives a general idea that will apply to any part of the world where 

 they occur. Each species is well known to have many separate forms 

 (soldier, worker, &c.), and all these should be obtained from one 

 ' termitarium.' Possibly the best plan is to send home all the forms 

 in spirits ; or, if the winged examples be pinned, they should certainly 

 not be expanded, for the following reasons. At certain seasons these 

 shed their wings voluntarily, and this is done by these organs becoming 

 detached at a transverse suture close to the thorax ; and specimens at 

 all times are liable to become thus dislocated, and more especially 

 when the wings are expanded. If anything could induce me to relax 

 my opposition to ' carding,' it would be in the case of winged white 

 ants, for I know not how to keep them intact. The gravid female, 

 with her enormously distended abdomen, must be placed in spirits. 



The small allied family Mmbidce is rare, and the species are not 

 numerous. It appears to be certain that the varied conditions existing 

 in Termes are not found here, but of some species the larvaa only are 

 yet known ; these occur under stones in sandy districts. M. Lucas 

 states that the winged (or perfect) form of an Algerian species was 

 seen running up and down the stems of low herbage, without at- 

 tempting to fly when taken. The wings are not deciduous, and may 

 be expanded in the usual way. 



Psocidcd. 

 These, for the most part minute, insects are to be met with on 

 the trunks of trees, old palings, &c., as well as by beating the boughs 

 over the net ; and, for this latter operation, firs, larches, yews, and, in 

 fact, all conifers, are particularly favourable. Where a species occurs 

 it is usually abundant, for they are more or less gregarious : a few 

 exotic species are of comparatively large size, but very few exceed 

 half-an-inch in expanse of wings, and the majority are very much 

 smaller. They are often imported with merchandize in ships ; some 

 small species (I speak here of the winged genera) naturally inhabit 

 houses and warehouses. All run with extreme rapidity, and seldom 

 use their wings : when captured, they should be placed in small pill- 

 boxes, or (better still) in small glass tubes. Owing to their small 

 size, only few will satisfactorily bear a long pin sufficiently strong, 

 aaid for most it is necessary (if the long-pin system be adopted) to use 



