20 B. GEASSI AND A. SANDIAS. 



side of the posterior extremity of the abdomen. Palpation is 

 accomplished to some extent by the mandibles^ but principally 

 by the fore-legs^ as is sometimes observed in other members of 

 the colony.^ The soldier ingests slowly and with difficulty. 



Other individuals do not fail to perceive what is taking place, 

 and make attempts at robbery, which are sometimes successful. 



After provoking the elimination of the dejecta, a large 

 example sometimes retires to allow a little one to partake ; 

 and the latter has been occasionally noticed to have previously 

 twitched the legs^ and especially the tibiae of the larger one, 

 perhaps as a warning that it was hungry. 



It should be added that much fsecal matter is sponta- 

 neously deposited in the middle of the nest, and, if not in- 

 gested, is' then carried away by its eliminators, who employ it 

 in forming barricades, or store it up in uninhabited parts of 

 the nest. 



When an individual has finished eating, another approaches 

 and licks over the front of the head and autennse with rapid 

 movements of the palpi, evidently to clean them ; not un- 

 commonly two clean each other alternately. Then one may 

 stop for a moment while the other continues the process, and 

 passes to the occiput and then to the legs, going from their 

 base to their apex. The recipient of these attentions stands 

 still for some time, and then rapidly takes to flight, probably 

 because the other has bitten one of its tarsi on reaching it. 

 This cleansing operation is usually resorted to after a meal, 

 but is sometimes manifested without that preliminary. 



If the mouth of certain examples is attentively observed, it 

 will often be seen to exhibit a microscopic reddish-brown 

 pellet, which gradually increases in bulk till it forms a rounded 

 mass of about a millimetre in diameter. This pellet is obviously 

 composed of regurgitated food, and is sometimes used for 

 building ; at other times another example approaches, seizes 

 and devours it. 



The excreted or disgorged substances are occasionally 



1 Excretion may also be stimulated by gently stroking and compressing 

 the abdomen with a feather. 



