CONSTITUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF TERMITES. 281 
ing any special attitude. They are fond of darkness, and 
when kept in a tube occupy the portions furthest from the 
light. They certainly work more actively in the dark, but are 
capable of doing so even when exposed to daylight. 
Oviposition continues both by day and night. 
Swarming takes place in the morning, usually from 9 to 
12; and it must therefore be recognised that Calotermes 
no longer avoids the light when it has reached the perfect 
stage. 
Before swarming the winged insects collect habitually in a 
spot which careful observation shows to be in the neighbour- 
hood of an exit-hole, putting the nest into communication with 
the outer air. 
Swarming takes place through this hole. The insects issue 
by ones or twos, so that the twenty or thirty examples ready 
to take flight emerge in perhaps a quarter of an hour. 
Once outside the nest, they run upwards for a few metres if 
the locality admits of it, and then only do they take wing. In 
a room they evidently fly towards the light, and if a wind is 
blowing they follow its direction. Some soon become tired and 
settle on the trunks or branches of neighbouring trees; the 
majority become lost to sight, but many certainly end by 
alighting on trees. It is here that they group themselves into 
pairs, the males and females of which must frequently be 
derived from separate nests, for, as I have mentioned, the sexes 
swarm separately ; this acts as a safeguard by which Calo- 
termes habitually avoids in-breeding. 
The winged forms have not been observed to pursue cach 
other in the curious way which will be spoken of under 
Termes. 
I may describe more precisely the manner in which the 
males and females come together when settled on a tree. The 
winged forms habitually search for a decayed spot, and when 
found they dig it out, after losing their wings, in order to bury 
themselves ; it is in this act of excavation that the meeting and 
subsequent pairing take place. 
The wings may be shed, merely by striking against an 
