JAN 4 1897 
OONSTITUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF TERMITES. 240 
The Constitution and Development af the Society 
of Termites: Observations on their Habits; 
with Appendices on the Parasitic Protozoa 
of Termitide, and on the Embiide. 
By 
Professor B. Grassi im collaboration with Dr. A. Sandias. 
With Plates 16—20. 
Tue memoir, of which Ihave made the following translation, was originally 
published in the ‘ Atti dell’ Accademia Gioenia di Scienze Naturali in Catania,’ 
ser. 4, vols. vi and vii (1893-4), but has become more generally known 
through the appearance of a separate edition in the former year. But though 
its value was immediately recognised, the work has not yet become familiar 
to an extent commensurate with the importance of its contributions to natural 
science. 
The object of the treatise, itself an expansion and completion of certain 
preliminary papers on Termitidee by Professor Grassi, is set forth in that 
author’s introduction, and requires no further explanation; but it is perhaps 
permissible to point out that, over and above the results obtained in the 
pursuit of that object, the memoir is a signal and instructive example of a 
class of work but too seldom resorted to—the union of morphological re- 
search with an inquiry of the most prolonged and persevering character into 
the habits and bionomics of the living form. In these latter respects it forms 
a worthy parallel to the work of such great pioneers in the investigation of 
the social systems of insects as Smeathman, Huber, and Réaumur. And it 
is for this reason that no study of an abstract which merely summarises the 
results obtained can prove as convincing or suggestive as that of the original. 
An excellent general summary of the various writings on Termitide, which 
includes references to such facts as have been observed since the publication 
of the present memoir, is to be found in vol. v of the ‘Cambridge Natural 
History,’ by Dr. Sharp. In view of its existence it has been thought un- 
necessary to make more than a very few additions to the original text; these 
will be found indicated in the usual way by square brackets. 
Wa ter F. H. Branprorp, M.A.Cantab., 
Lecturer on Entomology at the Royal Indian 
Engineering College, Cooper’s Hill. 
VOL. 389, PART 3 —NEW SER. R 
