1889.] TRANS. OF THE N. Y. ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 85 
February 4, 1889. 
REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING. 
The President, Dr. NEWBERRY, in the chair. 
Thirty-seven persons present. 
The Report of the Council was read, recommending: 
(1) The payment of certain small bills; 
(2) Several minor items; 
(3) The election as Resident Member of 
Mr. ErRNEsT A. CONGDON, 
and presenting a list of nominations for officers for the year 
1889, to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting, February 25th. 
The several recommendations were agreed to, and the list of 
nominations approved. 
The paper of the evening was then read, as follows: 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE TERMITES, OR WHITE ANTS, OF THE 
ISTHMUS OF PANAMA, 
by P. H. Duptey. 
The paper was largely illustrated, with specimens of all the 
varieties of ants, with their nests and their galleries, and beams, 
car-panels, and other wood-work honeycombed and destroyed 
by them. 
When going to the Isthmus for the Panama Railroad, I was 
requested to make some examinations of the extensive injuries 
to their buildings, shops, tools, and cars by the Termites, or 
so-called ‘‘ White Ants.” In the office here in the city, I was 
shown many specimens of wood-work from the Isthmus so badly 
eaten by the Termites as to be of no further service. 
Nearly all the pieces except those of ash bore evidences also of 
decay. 
The latter fact I fully expected, for the annual rainfall upon 
the Atlantic side of the Isthmus is about eleven and one-half 
feet, and on the Pacific side it is only some three feet less. 
This great humidity, combined with a mean annual tempera- 
ture of about 78° F., furnishes continuous conditions for the 
growth of fungi and the consequent rapid decay of wood. 
