76 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. I, 



sidered as having acquired the community habit independently, 

 they have very distinct parallelism in the kinds of individuals 

 which are produced. In all cases there are normal males and 

 females and also a class of non-sexual individuals or neuters, 

 but in both termites and ants these neuters have been further 

 differentiated into forms which carry on different kinds of activi- 

 ties in the colony, as for instance workers and the soldiers. In 

 some ants these duties are still further subdivided and give rise 

 to most perplexing series of polymorphic forms. 



Those of us who had the opportunity to hear Professor Whee- 

 ler's brilliant address a year ago will remember how remarkably 

 these polymorphic forms have been developed and can appreciate 

 also how essential a recognition of the functions and the lines of 

 adaptation for these forms must be, in order that anything like 

 rational arrangement of the species may be made. 



Community life in birds, beaver, fur-seal, sheep, cattle and 

 even in the human species has not by any means the extreme 

 condition of specialization seen in some species of these insects 

 that have been mentioned. Nowheie does it show anything like 

 so profound a change in the economy, structure or the relations of 

 the members in the community. 



PROTECTIVE DEVICES. 



In the way of special adaptation for protection, insects show 

 a wonderful variety of forms and have been one of the favored 

 groups for the illustration of this general practice in nature. 

 We can illustrate it by the use of certain forms among our com- 

 mon species such as the gypsy moth which with its color and 

 marking has become very perfectly adapted for protection on the 

 bark of the birch which appears to have been its native food plant, 

 as shown by Prof. C. H. Fernald at the Boston meeting. 

 Our common luna moth probably illustrates this also, since its 

 coloration is well adapted for protecting it among the leaves of 

 its most common food plant. It appears also that the long tail 

 of the hind wings may very likely assume the position of the pet- 

 iole of the leaf, and therefore fit in very perfectly with the sur- 

 roundings of the insect. I have been struck by this particular 

 feature in seeing the moth resting in such a position as to simulate 

 closely an attached leaf. Among the leaf hoppers there are a 

 number of species which show a very complete adaptation in this 

 direction. Nearly all of the species of Deltocephalus if noticed 



