SWARMING OF THE WHITE ANTS 123 



to the species, or it would not take place. If all the 

 winged forms composing the flight were devoured by 

 enemies, there could be no object in the swarming. 



Philanthropy is a virtue unknown in nature. The 

 universal practice among the lower animals is, Every 

 species for itself, and the devil take the hindermost. 

 Each species lives for itself and solely for itself. I find 

 it impossible to believe that every year millions of 

 termites take to themselves wings merely in order that 

 the insectivorous birds and the lizards may over-eat 

 themselves. These considerations alone seem sufficient 

 to disprove the assertions of Grassi and Muller. 



Not a few naturalists think that some of the in- 

 dividuals which compose the swarms return to the 

 nests from which they emerged, or go to other nests, 

 there to be received as kings and queens. This theory 

 is very possibly correct, although it is not supported 

 by any direct evidence. Indeed, there is the objection 

 that in every colony of termites a few individuals are 

 found which are known as reserve queens, individuals 

 which, if suitably fed by the workers, will develop into 

 queens. But it is obvious that such potential royalties 

 cannot be produced indefinitely without the infusion 

 of fresh blood into the colony. 



It has further been suggested that these winged 

 forms, although so helpless, may possibly contain 

 stored up within them sufficient nutriment to keep 

 them alive until some of the eggs they lay develop 

 into workers. These, directly they are hatched, will 

 feed and look after the royal pair. In support of this 

 hypothesis we have the experiments of Professor Perez, 



