GEOLOGIC WORK OF ANTS BRANNER. 321 



the Estancia and Caboclo shales; next to these the granites seem to 

 have the biggest nests." 



I infer that the smaller number of the mound j on the sandy soil is 

 due to the fact that during the rainy season water soaks through into 

 the burrows, and the excavations do not stand up where the soil is wet. 



Thinking it possible that the exposure of the mounds or of the 

 ground on which they stand to the sun might influence location and 

 distribution, an outlook has been kept with these questions in mind. 

 It does not appear thus far that such exposure influences the location 

 or size of the mounds, even in the southern part of Brazil, where the 

 sun is on the north most or all of the year. 



THE WHITE ANTS, OR TERMITES. 

 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS. 



The so-called white ants, or termites, belong to the Isoptera, and are 

 therefore not ants at all. They are included hi this paper solely on 

 account of the geologic work done by them in the Tropics, which 

 bears a certain similarity to the geologic work of the true ants. 



In Brazil the white ants are commonly known by the name of 

 cupim,. In their habits the white ants both resemble and differ from 

 the true ants. They generally avoid the light, carrying on their 

 work, even when it is above ground, in galleries which they con- 

 struct as they go. Their nests are sometimes attached to tree trunks 

 or rocks, but they are often built directly upon the ground. Not 

 infrequently these nests are as large, or even larger, than the nests of 

 the true ants, but they are very different in shape and character. 



ABUNDANCE. 



Here, again, I am unable to give anything regarding the biology of 

 the white ants. 1 



Dr. Fritz Muller, who lived for many years in southern Brazil, 

 reports 15 or 16 species of termites in that part of the country, but 

 not all of these live on or in the ground. 



M. Jules Desneux, in his monograph on the Termitidee, reports 45 

 species from Brazil and some 15 or more from other tropical parts of 

 America. 



White ants, like otner animals, are not evenly distributed in the 

 tropical parts of South America. They are so much less obtrusive 

 and pugnacious, however, that they do not attract the attention 

 as promptly as do the true ants. 



1 For the benefit of those who are interested in the biology of white ants I cite the following. 



K. Escherich: Die Termiten oder weissen Ameisen. Eine Biologische Studie, vol. 12, p. 198. Leipzig. 

 1909. 



Genera Insectorum publies par P. Wytsinaii. Fasc. 25, Isoptera, fam. Termitidee par Jules Desneux, 

 Bruxelles, 1904. 



38734°— sm 1911 21 



