1889.] NEW-VORK MICROSCOPICAL SOCTETY. 61 



is one and one-quarter inches long, and five-sixteenths of an 

 inch in diameter. Many of the mature queens are not over 

 seven-eighths of an inch long, and from three-sixteenths to one- 

 quarter of an inch in diameter. Some of the queen-cells con- 

 tain only one queen, while in others there are two or more — ten 

 being the greatest number found in one cell. The numerous 

 passages leading into the queen-cells are only sufificient in size 

 for the entrance and exit of the workers. Before the queens 

 have reached maturity they can run through the nest, but after- 

 wards they cannot leave the royal chamber. In one of the 

 queen-cells, from a nest near the beach, minute fragments of 

 coral had been incorporated in the primary walls of the cell. 

 These walls were afterwards thickened with deposits, as in the 

 case of the other s]:)ecimens. The substance of the cells, which 

 generally seems to be comminuted wood mixed with some 

 cement, becomes very hard and firm, and takes a good polish 

 like papier-mache. 



Fig. 4. — (Natural size.) A small portion of a double line of Eiitermes soldiers (uasuti) 

 enclosing; and gruardinp: workers while building; a gallery upon the bridge of 

 the "Tennitarium." (Fig. 3.) 



The Eutennes live in large communities — the members con- 

 sisting of males, females, soldiers and workers. The males and 

 females have eyes and wings, and before the swarming season 

 exist in the nest in large numbers. After swarming their wings 

 drop off, and numbers of the insects perish. A few of the 

 females return to the nest to become the future queens of the 

 community, or to found new colonies. 



The soldiers of the Etitermes are, to say the least, unique. 

 Instead of being armed with strong mandibles each one is 

 equipped more in accordance with modern ideas of warfare, and 

 carries a gun, quite as wonderful as the Winchester repeating 

 rifle. The head is pear-shaped, anteriorly produced into a long 

 nose, from the point of which extends, back into the head, a 



