86 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [FEB. 4, 
The humidity of the climate serves in a measure to explain 
why it is so easy for some species of the Termites to eat even 
sound wood, as in furniture. 
What are called seasoned woods there contain from ten to 
fifteen per cent more moisture than the same kinds would in 
the United States, and are therefore much softer. White ash, 
which in this vicinity is a hard wood, and extensively used in 
furniture, car, and coach construction, on the Isthmus absorbs 
moisture and is readily eaten by several species of Termites. 
It seems to be especially relished, and should not form any por- 
tion of wood-work to go to the Isthmus. 
White pine is but little better, as it so quickly decays and 
then is readily eaten. Yellow pine is much harder, and in all 
the samples examined the tissues had first been softened by de- 
cay before being attacked bythe Termites. It only requires from 
one to five years, however, according to the conditions of use, 
before the yellow pine is attacked by fungi and then by the 
Termites, especially Termes testaceus Linn., which eat out the 
interior portions of large timbers, such as posts and sills of 
buildings. It has been often suggested to treat the wood so as 
to check decay, and thus to prevent the work of the Termites. 
This course has been extensively tried, but the majority of cases 
have been failures, owing to the difficulty of treating the inte- 
rior portions of large timbers; and measures which would pro- 
tect the timber from decay in temperate climates fail in the 
tropics. 
Upon the Isthmus, ten species of Termites have been found, 
representing three genera, according to Dr. H. A. Hagen,— 
viz., Calotermes, Termes, and Hutermes. The first genus is 
represented by only one species, Calotermes marginipennis Latr., 
and so far has only been found in first-class passenger coaches, 
which were in daily service. In two of the coaches, the attacks 
were confined to the white ash door-posts, and in the third coach 
the rails of twelve seats were destroyed. The wood was not at- 
tacked from the exterior, nor were any covered galleries found. 
Entrance to the interior portion was gained through a crevice 
at the joints. The wood is then eaten out in pockets or cham- 
bers, working principally lengthwise of the grain. It would 
seem, on looking at the chambers, as though a heading was 
driven by one or two workers, and enlarged by others following 
in close proximity. If a heading from an opposite direction 
was likely to meet, a thin partition wall would be left, espe- 
cially when near the surface of the wood. ‘The chambers were 
larger in the central portions of the sticks. The exterior por- 
tion, or the surface, was not eaten through, and the only indica- 
tion afforded was the dust or fwces falling from the joints of the 
