EMBIA MAJOR FROM THE HIMALAYAS. 



185 



of the Embia. It is noteworthy that the two species of insect appeared to he on 

 perfectly amicable terms with one another, resembling symbiosis. Furthermore, it may 

 be mentioned that Wasmann (1904, p. 17) records an Einbiid, Oligotoma termitophila, 

 occurring in nests of Termes natalensis in the Soudan. 



The restricted distribution of the Embia is difficult to account for, especially as 

 apparently similar localities are plentiful iu the surrounding country. Altogether 211 

 nests of the species were met with, and they occurred over an area about 1J miles 

 in length. An examination of 130 nests was made with the object of obtaining informa- 

 tion with regard to number of individuals inhabiting each nest, and the relative 



Text-fig. 5. 



View near Sat Tal, Kuraaon. The nests of E. major occur under the stones scattered 

 along the valley and hill-side. (Westwood Bequest.) 



proportions of the sexes. Contrary to what would be anticipated from previous observa- 

 tions on Embiida?, the female was found to be of much more frequent occurrence than 

 the male. From an examination of 130 nests, made from June 27th until July 3rd, 88 

 of them (or 676 per cent.) were found to contain females only, 30 nests (or 23 per cent.) 

 contained both males and females, while 12 nests (or 9'2 per cent.) contained male indi- 

 viduals only. From these figures it will be noted that males were only found in 

 32 per cent, of the nests that were examined. Some 26S individuals were found 

 inhabiting these 130 nests {vide table on p. 188), and of these 109 (or 4,0 per cent.) were 

 males and 159 females. This relatively high percentage among the males is somewhat 



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