1890.] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 159 



The marked distinction between the two is that the true 

 kings and queens develop from winged imagos. which swarm, 

 and after a short flight alight on trees, buildings, or the ground, 

 lose their wings, and cannot return to the parent-nest by flight. 

 They pair and seek a hiding place. 



The auxiliary kings and queens come from nymphae with 

 aborted wing cases, and are apterous and cannot leave the parent- 

 nest by flight. 



This is an astonishing provision of Nature. First, a swarm 

 of winged males and females to disseminate the species. Sec- 

 ond, a supply of apterous males and females to keep up the 

 parent-nest in case the first class should all swarm. 



It is stated that the auxiliary queens are found with all the 

 genera mentioned, but to date only those of the genus Termes 

 have been discovered on the Isthmus. The observations made 

 by Mr. Beaumont since the date of the last paper to July 4th, 

 1889, have been compiled by Mrs. Dudley into the following 

 paper: — 



Colon, S. A., August 4th, 1888. 



My DEAR Mr. Dudley: — Many of our best residences on the 

 beach are haunted (anted) by the destructive Nasutitermes, 

 and we have not discovered anything yet by which we can effec- 

 tively spirit away the silent intruder. Have you found with 

 your microscope any special organs for secreting the cement so 

 useful to the workers ? A suspicion is dawning upon my mind 

 that this cement may be the natural excretion from the alimen- 

 tary organs, so extensively and economically used to construct 

 their nests and galleries. I am surprised that this peculiarity 

 of the Nasutitermes (Eutermes) has not been observed and 

 commented upon by naturalists before, as it is one of the won- 

 derful facts about them. They are enormous feeders, and must 

 have well-developed digestive organs to keep up the supply of 

 such profuse secretions. 



I am pleased to learn that Dr, Hagen values my observ?.tions, 

 and that the name of the ant which destroyed my office window- 

 frame is Termes testaceus. 



Since my last letter I have opened and examined two nests 

 of Nasutitermes (Eutermes), and found one queen in each. 

 One nest was located on a dead prickly-palm tree about three feet 

 above the ground, and was two feet long and eighteen inches in 

 diameter, encircling the tree. The lower portion of the nest con- 

 tained many eggs and larvae; the upper and newer part, workers 

 andnasuti. No winged ones, and no eggs near the queen. She 

 was in a large cavity, surrounded by a host of excited workers, 

 and near the centre of the nest. The second had a queen, 

 eggs, larvae, workers, and nasuti (soldiers with beaks) only. I 



