ON SOME AUSTRALIAN TERMITES. 369 



many other species, in which the soldiers appear to be the embodiment of cowardice 

 and uselessness. On one occasion harvesting operations were observed at night on 

 the roadside in one of the more populous residential areas of the town, the material 

 gathered being almost entirely coarse dry grass, which was cut into pieces about 

 half an inch in length. The nature of the food varies according to the season of the 

 year, the flora in the immediate vicinity and other circumstances. When there is 

 a plentiful supply of drj' grass this material appears to be most favoured, but there 

 is nearly always present a quantity of grass and other seeds and a good deal of 

 vegetable debris. In the vicinity of eucalyptus trees they gather pieces of leaf, leaf- 

 stems, twigs and bark. The latter are carried into the termitaria in the rough state 

 and afterwards dressed into pellets of varying size and shape. None of the species 

 of this genus are wood-eaters, nor are they known to attack cultivated cereals. 



The termitaria are nearly always low, flat and more or less circular masses composed 

 of intensely hard cement-like material, varying in toughness according to the soil 

 in which they are situated. In size they vary from about 8 in. to 2 ft. in height 

 by 2 ft. 6 in. to 8 or 9 ft. in diameter. In gross appearance they resemble a mass of 

 soft mud which has spread over the surface and hardened by evaporation (PI. ix, fig. 1). 

 There is no well-defined outer casing or wall (PI. ix, fig. 2) as in nests of Coptotermes, 

 the whole of the superstructure being composed of similar material. The interior 

 is occupied by very large flattened chambers connected with each other by small 

 circular holes large enough to permit of the free passage of soldiers and workers from 

 chamber to chamber. Similar but rather larger chambers extend below ground, 

 under the middle of the superstructure, to a depth roughly corresponding to the height 

 of the latter. These chambers are excavated in the soil, and are much less resistant 

 to digging operations than those above ground. Below them are several passages 

 extending more or less vertically into the soil beneath. The majority of the chambers 

 in the superstructure are occupied by workers, soldiers, and older adolescents, and 

 by masses of grass and other foodstuffs. The latter is generally stored in the rather 

 smaller outer cells, many groups of which are reserved for the reception of the waste 

 matter from the community, i.e., alimentary rejectamenta and the heads of dead 

 soldiers. Evidently much of the waste material is carried in the jaws to these 

 chambers, where it is tightl}' packed until the space is entirely filled, then the small 

 entrances are cemented up, apparently never to be reopened. Other chambers are 

 reserved for the reception of the faecal matter of certain individuals, probably 

 soldiers and workers, who evacuate directly into them. Such chambers, when in 

 use, are indicated by a deposit of more or less liquid matter just within the small 

 entrance hole, the remainder being empty. As the deposit increases and hardens 

 the entrance becomes blocked and is then cemented up. Analyses of the rejecta- 

 menta in these termitaria show that they contain about 32 per cent, of inorganic 

 matter. Additions to these nests are nearly always made by extending the 

 outer walls without increasing the height, and the increase in the diameter of the 

 superstructure is greatly in advance of that of the underground portion. The latter 

 is occupied by the reproductive forms, eggs, larvae and nymphs, and by their 

 attendant soldiers and workers. 



All the different castes have been found in the same nest and at the same time, 

 but an ovigerous neoteinic queen has not been found in a nest presided over by a 

 true queen. The soldiers are very numerous, active and pugnacious, and are capable 

 ■of a most effective fight against marauding ants. When the termitarium is broken 

 into the soldiers rush out in all directions, attacking every animate object they come 

 in contact with — their fellow-soldiers and workers, ants, lizards and one's hands 

 receiving equal attention. Some few devote their energies to rescuing their defence- 

 less larvae, but this function devolves more upon the workers, who are hardly less 

 pugnacious. Normally the colony is presided over by one true queen, who is generally 

 located at, or just below, ground-level in a flattened cell of rather smaller size than 

 the average cell in these nests. In one case only has a true king been found in the 



