1889. ] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 105 
or to danger from other ants, in their new location? They have 
worked in this manner for over two weeks, and every two or three 
days I would take out samples of their wonderful wood-carving, 
and insert fresh pieces for them, and in afew moments they would 
be patiently feeding on the new samples, without demur at the 
frequent change,—except yesterday, when I gave them a piece of 
ash, their favorite wood. ‘lo my astonishment, this morning it 
was incased and entirely hidden from view. They evidently in- 
tended to have this choice morsel all to themselves this time. 
‘The frequent changing must probably annoy them a trifle, and 
they intend to prevent it. Pages could be written upon their 
winning ways and marvellous skill. To-night they were feeding 
on a strip of ash, one inch by three, as many on it ascould stand 
closely together, all workers except a few soldiers on the out- 
skirts. . . . I watched them closely, and kept my eye on one un- 
til it cut out a minute sliver, and then went off with it to the 
nest, to masticate or chew the cud. Others seemed to get their 
mouths full, and then went away, their places being taken, so 
that the table was always full. In cutting, they seem to fix one 
mandible in a cell of the ash, and then perform a see-saw move- 
ment with the head, sidewise of course, until the particle is 
severed. Sometimes they drop back suddenly, as though it cut 
throngh before they expected it. Query,—Do they eat this 
wood to live? It seems to be so, for these Hutermes have had 
nothing but wood, water, and soil for three weeks. There are 
always a number resting or masticating, and always as many 
more feeding on the wood. I have watched them at all hours 
of the night, and find them the same as in the day, and can 
easily tell now when they are getting hungry or have not wood 
enough to eat. When they are short of food, they soon get 
short of secretions. 
It puzzles me very much to find out where or how the soldiers 
(nasuti) feed ; the workers must set a private table for them in- 
side, of prepared wood, perhaps. ‘They never seem to do any- 
thing but watch, and wave their antenne up and down. right 
and left; they are in constant motion, however, and frequently 
relieve guard. 
‘There are all shades of color in my Termitarium, from white 
to nearly jet black, according to the age of the worker, I think; 
the oldest and largest have the top of the head black, and the 
body or abdomen a dark yellowish brown. ‘The very young and 
small ones are of a transparent white, and as they grow older 
the heads get darker and then the body. ‘The soldiers seem to 
remain of the same color, 
When a nest is disturbed, and there is any fighting to do, the 
soldiers and mature workers issue forth, while the young white 
