1889. NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 109 
my office window. ‘This insidious little worker has not been 
credited with its full amount of destruction, and therefore 
should receive some notice, especially as you ask ‘‘ whether 
the Hutermes do most of the damage, according to my observa- 
tions?” Two months ago I should have replied in the affirma- 
tive, but now shall be cautious in answering. 
I have sent you a full description of the species, and speci- 
mens of their soldiers, workers, and winged ones, and also their 
nests and work. They labor ina different manner entirely from 
the Hutermes, working endwise into the heart of the wood, 
keeping out of sight and away from the surface, so that they 
can only be detected by an experienced eye. For this reason 
they are the more dangerous of the two species, and the kind 
which destroyed the tie-beams, a sample of which I sent you. 
Since then, I found a nest of them in the heart of a yellow-pine 
post; the nest continued twelve inches below the surface of the 
ground, and below that the post was sound. Samples of their 
work are quite a study, and I have a good collection of them. I 
have not yet found a queen of this variety, and you quote Dr. 
Hagen as saying “‘a queen of this species has never been seen.” 
So far I have only observed their work upon buildings. 
I feel very much indebted to you for intelligent help in direct- 
ing my studies of the Termites. Your conclusions are right in 
regard to the loss of the antennxw. I noticed the peculiar move- 
ments of a worker in the Termitarium after having a battle. It 
was walking about with its head drawn around to the left, and 
seemed very awkward. Then I saw that the left antenna was 
cut off during the fight. ‘The other workers seemed to sympa- 
thize with it, and gave it considerable attention. 
I frequently observe the workers apparently washing or clean- 
ing each other; the soldiers never do this, though they receive 
the same attention. This operation takes place during the 
period of rest. In my Termitarium there were always some at 
rest; and this must be one of their habits, as I find them in their 
tracks and galleries whenever they are broken, either day or 
night; and otherwise these would be sometimes found empty. 
The charming book of Sir John Lubbock’s, ‘‘ Ants, Bees, and 
Wasps,” which you kindly sent, came to me all right, and its con- 
tents were eagerly read. Please accept my sincere thanks. It 
will be a great help to me, and stimulate me to further effort in 
studying the Termites. I have the best opportunities all around 
me for making observations; in fact, the subject presses itself 
upon my notice every day in some way or other, and the study 
grows more and more fascinating. Sir John Lubbock’s work is 
the first authority on ants that I have seen, and I am pleased to 
find that many of my observations are corroborated by him. 
