288 B. GRASSI AND A. SANDIAS. 
return; to meet it a new nest was provided, from which 
certain individuals were excluded. They were introduced a 
few hours after the fresh nest was put in order and quiet, but 
they caused no disturbance although it was unfamiliar to 
them. As a control experiment, a few strange Calotermites 
were put into the same nest; the inhabitants took fright at 
once, and scattered in different directions. But after a little 
time all became quiet, and no fighting was actually observed. 
We may therefore conclude that examples taken from different 
nests readily fraternise ; and this applies to the soldiers as 
well as to the larve and nymphs. ] 
[I should mention with respect to the soldiers that if too 
large a number is added to a nest, these supernumeraries, as 
they may be called, are found to be killed or eaten one by one 
during the next few days.] 
[The following observation was made on one occasion. Half 
a dozen strangers, including a substitute royal example, were 
added to one of the usual nests in a tube. The royal specimen 
showed signs of hesitation and remained in the same spot, 
merely turning round and round, and straightening its legs as 
much as possible, as though to raise itself above the level of 
its neighbours. When an inhabitant of the nest approached 
and touched it, it drew back at once; the other did the same, 
so that they separated as rapidly as if they were stung. Some 
hours later the new-comer became quiet, and several inmates 
of the nest approached it to caress the antenne, &c. I must 
mention that the nest was orphaned. ] 
[We have already stated that Calotermites furnish a certain 
number of substitute forms when deprived of the king and 
queen. Why then is only a single royal pair to be found ? 
One day one of three substitute forms, which inhabited a 
small nest, was seen rapidly to pursue another with gaping 
jaws, with the evident intention of killing it, in which it was 
unsuccessful. Next day the nest contained only two such 
forms ; very probably the one which was pursued the previous 
day had been killed.] 
[Two true royal forms, a king and a queen, were introduced 
