Mr. T. S. Savage on the Termitide of West Africa. 103 
by the workers, who evidently continued in a state of the greatest 
alarm. 
The floor of the chamber was perfectly plane and smooth, ex- 
hibiting not the slightest impression from the body of the queen. 
The roof in the centre was 3 of an inch thick ; the floor about 3; 
at the line of conjunction about 4. Posteriorly im the line of 
junction between the roof and floor was a small aperture, sheltered 
from above by a spur of clay running downwards, which was the 
only way discovered of ingress and egress. It could not have 
admitted an insect larger than the soldiers, and even to them, as 
it then appeared, it must have been a “strait gate.’ The king 
could not have passed, and, consequently, not the queen. It had 
the appearance of having been repeatedly closed and opened by 
collections of clay around it. 
That the queen is inclosed for life, is evident from the fact that 
she is, from her great size, incapable of progression of herself, or 
of being transported by any means within the power of the com- 
munity. 
On clearing away the refuse at the base of the hill, the orifices 
of the main passages under the basement were discovered; de- 
scending in a sloping direction, they led to large vacant rooms, 
made by the pillars supporting the archwork, on which rests 
the interior of the structure. These pillars or columns were of 
an irregular, rounded shape, from 3} to 23 inches in diameter, 
and stood on the solid ground about 6 inches high. 
On visiting this hill the next morning, all the passages in that 
portion of the wall not dissected were found well closed with 
fresh deposits of clay, and also a continuous layer spread over 
the remaining central cellular work. This was done during the 
night by the surviving members of the community for their pro- 
tection against the cool air of the night, the rain, and hostile 
insects. 
The opening of a hill is the signal for the gathering of all 
their foes,—ants, reptiles, &c. ; hence the speedy closing of their 
various entrances is a step of primary importance. 
Another hill, previously dissected, was, after a time, so far 
repaired as to be externally perfect. On taking it down again, 
though the cellular work was apparently restored, no queen was 
found nor royal apartments; a few workers were all the insects 
discovered, and they were collected in the cells in the walls of 
the hill. 
Hill 2nd.— Opened Feb. 3rd, 1847. 
Circumference at base . . . . 26 ft. 10 in. 
Height on the outer surface . . 8, 6,, 
A diagonal section was made by a cross cut saw, beginning 
just below the upper floor of Smeathman. 
