286 B. GRASSI AND A. SANDIAS. 
posure to lght. The contiguous parts of their abdomen 
exhibited a white substance which, when the king and queen 
became detached from one another, remained adhering under 
the hinder extremity of the queen. 
It is therefore certain that connection takes place in the 
nest and is repeated at intervals; and all my observations 
satisfy me absolutely that it cannot be accomplished in the 
open air, and is practicable only after loss of the wings. 
[I must regard certain relations which were observed to 
subsist between two substitute forms still far from maturity, 
because they were only about a fortnight old, as amatory in 
nature. One stood still while the other gradually approached, 
and when sufficiently near brought its antenne into contact 
with those of its fellow; it then quickly retired for some dis- 
tance, and returned later to repeat the pastime. This took 
place at least four times. On the fifth occasion the one which 
had been standing still, made movements as if to detain its 
companion ; they then remained together, and very rapidly 
stroked various parts of each other’s body, especially the apex 
of the abdomen. Their position during the reciprocal palpation 
of this part was almost that assumed during the act of coitus. ] 
Several writers have mentioned the convulsive movements 
characteristic of Termitide. These movements or quiverings 
are easily observed in Calotermes, and may be repeated 
periodically at very short intervals, almost at the frequency 
of the pulse-rate. 
In the act of quivering the tarsi are held motionless, while 
the body is shaken forwards and backwards; there may bea 
simultaneous slight lateral or vertical oscillation. Sometimes 
an example may stop whilst running, in order to quiver one or 
more times. 
Occasionally these convulsive movements are repeated a few 
times only, and then stop altogether; but at other times they 
recur after a few seconds or at most a few minutes’ rest, and 
may thus be continued sometimes for hours with many similar 
intervals of rest. 
