1890.] NEW-YORK MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. lOV 



The heads of the soldiers of the Eiilennes terminate in a long 

 beak, containing a tube or gun, from which a glutinous shot 

 can be thrown. This is a singular provision of nature. The 

 smallest member of the community being provided with such an 

 effective weapon, that at some distance one can put an 

 antagonist even twice his size Jiors de combat, the legs and antennre 

 of the latter rendered useless by the quick drying viscid shot. 

 Cuts of the heads of the nasuti soldiers will be found in my 

 previous paper. 



As complex as the members and habits of a Ternies com- 

 munity may seem from the above ; I have now a series of 

 specimens of Tennes minimus Beaumont, showing them to be 

 far more complex. 



These specimens have just been received from Mr. Beaumont, 

 and are the most complete of any series known of a single species. 

 In the genus Vermes, besides the true queens and kings, there 

 are supplementary queens and kings, and several stages of 

 larvse and nymphje. incident to the latter forms. 



The fact of there being two classes of queens was stated as 

 early as 1856 by Mr. Charles Lespes, in his investigations of 

 Vermes luci/i/gits at Bordeaux, France. 



Dr. Fritz Miiller made a series of observations in Brazil, con- 

 firming the general fact, and sent some of his results to Mr. 

 Charles Darwin. 



In 1872 Miiller published his observations, which M'ere of a 

 longer duration than Lespes, and included species of the three 

 genera we have mentioned. When he speaks of Eutermes, I am 

 unable to determine whether he means species with mandibles, 

 or those with beaks. In some details Miiller does not agree 

 with Lespes, but confirms the general facts. 



Lespes found in the species of Vermes iucifugus nymphae of 

 two forms, viz. : 



ist. Those with long wing cases. 



2nd. Those with short wing cases. 



He designated the ist as nymphae of the first form, and the 

 2nd as nymphae of the second form. 



He stated, from the ist form came the large queens and 

 kings, and from the 2nd form small queens and kings, which 

 are now designated as supplementary. Lespes stated that 

 the winged imagines from the nymphs would swarm the last of 

 May or the fore part of June. 



