ON SOME AUSTRALIAN TERMITES. 385 



Biology. 



This is one of the commonest, if not the commonest, species of termite found 

 in the vicinity of Townsville ; how much further it ranges is not known. Like all 

 the species of this genus known to me it is not a wood-eater, but hves on vegetable 

 debris, such as the leaves, stems and seeds of herbaceous plants, the two former being 

 cut into fragments and the latter stored intact in the termitaria. Food is gathered 

 throughout the year, as required, and is stored in the outer galleries. In times of 

 drought or after grass fires there is a noticeable absence of food in these galleries, 

 and at no time is the accumulation of food comparable with that which is found in 

 the nests of the grass-eating species of Eutermes. Incipient colonies, and colonies 

 which for some reason or other have no termitaria, do not appear to make any 

 provision for the storage of food in their underground galleries. 



In these notes the word termitaria is used to indicate earthy or woody nests 

 constructed by termites upon the surface of the soil, upon stumps, logs, stones, 

 or in the branches of trees ; the latter — arboreal nests or termitaria^appear to be 

 constructed only by certain species of Eutermes. The species under notice normally 

 constructs earthy nests, but it appears that these are not commenced until the colony 

 has matured a considerable number of individuals of the worker caste in under- 

 ground galleries. In some cases winged adults also are reared in these galleries. 

 In discussing the habits of H. eucalypti, sp. n., reference is made to the construction 

 of tube-like vertical ducts, by means of which the winged adults leave their under- 

 ground galleries at the time of the annual colonising flight or " swarming." Similar 

 ducts are also, though rarely, constructed by H. perplexus for the same purpose, 

 when winged adults are reared in underground galleries. These tower-like ducts are 

 commenced at the end of the dry season after the first showers and before the regular 

 rain sets in ; for example, in the summer of 1919 the first heavy shower (0-5) fell 

 on 17th December, and construction commenced on the following day and continued 

 until 22nd December, by which date about 80 ducts were scattered over an area 

 of about 20 ft. square. 



It is a common occurrence to find small colonies of soldiers and workers in rambling 

 galleries in the soil, or at the base of abandoned, or partly abandoned, termitaria 

 of Eutermes and Drepanotermes, and in one instance a de-alated imago of Eutermes sp. 

 was found with such a community. 



Typical termitaria, however, are verv commonly found on hillsides, near the foot 

 of hills (PI. X, fig. 1), and on the open or scrub-covered plains (PI. x, fig. 2) to the 

 westward of the town, and occasionally in town gardens and streets. Quite 

 frequently the greater part of the mound rests upon a large rock projecting a few 

 inches to a foot or more above the surface. In such cases, however, one portion of 

 the mound is invariably in direct contact with the soil, and is pierced by the main 

 galleries communicating with the earth below. It may be stated here that such 

 communication is absolutely essential to the existence of all termites, excepting 

 members of the genus Cryptotermes, which in many, if not most, cases normally live 

 entirely cut off from access to the soil. By far the greatest number of nests are to 

 be found on the open grazing country and adjacent scrubby areas. In the former 

 localities the nests attain their maximum size and number, and associated with them 

 are almost as many nests of Eutermes sp. and Drepanotermes silvestrii, sp. n. Near 

 the margin of the lowest lying part of this area the nests of these three species are 

 so numerous as to present a most remarkable feature of the landscape. 



In size and shape the nests vary a good deal ; those on higher and well drained 

 positions being usually smaller and more pointed than those on the plains {of. PI. x, 

 figs. 1 and 2). In the ground-plan, nests on the higher situations are circular or 

 oval, in the latter case the long axis being directed north and south. A nest measuring, 

 say, about 12 by 14 in. at the base would be about 15-18 in. high, with sides sloping 



