1889. | NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 111 
I have been observing the use they make of the antennex, by 
causing a large drop of water to fall on a worker, which com- 
pletely covered it for an instant, and made its antenne curl up 
and stick to its head. It moved aimlessly about, apparently 
blind, until another worker, noticing its helpless condition, 
commenced at once to lick it dry, and then straightened its 
antenne, upon which it walked away as though nothing had 
happened. Very different was the next experiment. I im- 
mersed in water for about two minutes another worker, then 
took it out, and laid it on dry paper a moment, then returned it 
to the Termitarium, placing it on achip. It was just able to 
stand. Four soldiers were first to approach and notice it; ene 
ran to the nest, the other threestood at a distance of about three- 
eighths of an inch, waving their antenne, evidently smelling 
that something was wrong, but careful not to touch it. Presently 
a worker came out of the nest and cautiously approached, 
touched it with its antennex, then gave it a cruel nip with its 
mandibles on the head, and went away. ‘The poor sufferer re- 
mained motionless all the time, apparently blind and not kuow- 
ing what to do. A second worker came, approached cautiously, 
as did the first, and touched it with its antenna, then suddenly 
seized it by the thorax and severed its head, without a struggle. 
The head rolled off the chip; the executioner then turned 
around and deposited a drop of the ever-ready cement on the 
headless body, and deliberately walked away. ‘There was no 
excitement or alarm. and the nest was not disturbed; they did 
not treat it as a stranger or an enemy. Query—Did they kill 1t 
to end its misery? And why did they treat it so differently from 
the one not immersed? .. . 
July 15th, 1888. I have successfully established another 
novel l'ermitarium. I desired an arrangement that would afford 
me facilities for observing their internal habits, as to the way in 
which soldiers were fed, and how the workers cut and masticate 
the wood upon which they feed. My success has been beyond 
my expectations, though some of the conclusions will need con- 
firming by further and, if possible, more careful observations. 
Others are established facts that may, as you say, destroy some 
present theories. 
I have increased the power of my lens by uniting two small 
ones: a worker, under this combination, appears to be about five- 
eighths of aninchinlength. With thislens and my new Termi- 
tarium, I have been able to see without obstruction :— 
The workers feeding the soldiers, and 
The workers feeding each other, on masticated particles of 
wood; 
I have actually seen the particles pass from one mouth to the 
