112 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [ FEB. 4, 
other; have noted the time taken to cut a cube of wood from the 
feeding-boards; have observed them masticating the same wood; 
and noted the number of times that the mandibles open and 
shut per minute while masticating. 
On one occasion | could distinguish the minute saw on the 
left mandible... . 
This Termitarium is made of two glass fruit-dishes,—the 
largest eight inches diameter by four and one-half inches deep, 
the other or upper story six inches by three and one-half, with 
flaring sides. You will notice that I can look directly down 
upon the ants on the feeding-boards. I can also, on one side, 
look directly into the upper retiring-room, and see the thou- 
sands congregated there,—some sleeping, others masticating, and 
some feeding and washing each other. ‘They have chosen to 
leave the old and exposed nest on the lignum-vite block, and 
gone through the perforations to the secluded retiring-room 
below, just as I desired and expected. The Termitarium con- 
tains a population of from five to ten thousand. Their time 
seeins to be chiefly occupied in sleeping, eating, ‘‘ hewing 
wood, and drawing water” from wells dug in the soil when not 
otherwise provided, making galleries, and arranging earth-works 
in the retiring-room, the nature of which I do not yet understand. 
When a worker has severed a particle from the feeding- 
boards H, H, it usually goes to the retiring-room, D, to masti- 
cate, and then feed to others,—soldiers and young workers,— 
and, if necessary, to itself. Then it commences at once to mas- 
ticate on the board. Here it will perhaps be met and robbed of 
the morsel of wood by another worker, the latter deliberately 
pulling it from the other’s mandibles. The only resistance 
offered is a tug, that perhaps results in an equal division. Then 
both proceed to masticate. In a moment or two, according to 
the size of the piece, they will be ready for work again, and all 
the time perfect harmony prevails, one yielding to the other good- 
naturedly. When a worker has secured rather a large mouthful, 
it will twist and turn its head, while masticating, much as a 
cow does with a large slice of a turnip in its mouth. The 
mandibles open and shut about forty times a ininute by the watch, 
the particles of wood meanwhile being turned by the maxille and 
palpi every time the mandibles are opened. 
I noticed further about their habit of licking each other. I 
have seen four workers at once washing another worker, and ob- 
served another washing a soldier. After the body was done, 
the soldier held out each leg in succession to be cleaned. The 
fact of their beak being in the way,—and no mandibles,—pre- 
vent their ‘‘hewing and drawing,” so that they seem to have an 
easy time of it, being fed and cleaned by the workers. 
