ole B. GRASSI AND A. SANDIAS. 
the one in front attempts to run away from the other, which 
pursues it and palpates the extremity of its abdomen, and 
sometimes the sides as well. In some cases the pair is com- 
posed of a wingless individual in front and a winged one 
behind ; or a male in front and a female behind; or the 
opposite; or both may be of the same sex, whether male or 
female. 
If a few workers are put among the imagos, one of the latter 
may often be seen to pursue a worker in the same manner. 
And occasionally three examples, instead of merely a pair, 
may be seen, one following the other. 
I believe that the meaning of these supposed amorous dis- 
plays is entirely different from that usually assigned to 
them, and that the pursuer wishes to solicit the dejecta of 
the one pursued; this will be explained in the following 
chapter. 
I have said that the adults lose their wings (the persistence 
of the squama being understood) (Pl. 17, fig. 12), and I must 
now explain more minutely how this occurs. Suppose that the 
wings of a specimen are accidentally allowed to touch the moist 
walls of the glass jar, they stick to it, and readily break off as 
soon as the owner tries to run away. 
[The insects perform various movements on their own account 
in order to tear off the wings. I have seen one raise and 
lower them, and at the same time put the hind leg over them 
so as to hold them down to the surface on which it was stand- 
ing. Another example got rid of them by violent fluttering ; 
and a third, which had only one wing left, tried to tear it off 
at first by forcible flapping, and then succeeded by holding it 
firmly with one of the hind legs. ] 
It often happens that the imagos lose their wings while still 
in the nest, but they nevertheless abandon it, as do those of 
Calotermes. 
In fact, the perfect insect has an imperious craving to quit 
the nest in which it develops. 
Winged examples artificially enclosed in a corked tube 
