THE WHITE AXTS. 



137 



The character described of the family applies only to the mature males and females, but the societies 

 of White Ants include other individuals which display at least two different sets of characters, but 

 always present those which would seem to point to their being in an imperfect state of development? 

 such as the absence of wings and ocelli. Of these two principal forms some have a large squarish 

 head, with long projecting mandibles, and the prothorax larger than the other thoracic segments. 

 These are called Soldiers. The others, called Workers, have a small rounded head with concealed 

 mandibles, and, in fact, either are or resemble true larvae. In both these forms the eyes are wanting. 

 It would appear, however, that in the case of many species, at any rate, the constitution of the 

 colony is more complex, 

 as will be seen further 

 on. 



The Termitida? are 

 almost all inhabitants 

 of the tropics, only 

 a few comparatively 

 small species being 

 found in temperate 

 climates. These species 

 occur in southern 

 Europe, one of which 

 (T'ermes lucffitgus) is 

 abundant in some 

 parts of France, and 

 apparently indigenous ; 

 another (T. flavicollis) 

 is a North African 

 species which has been 

 introduced into the 

 south of France and 

 Portugal ; and the 

 third ( T. flavipes) 

 appears to have been 

 introduced from South 

 America. In warm 

 countries they form 

 immense communities, 

 and, as their appetites 

 appear to be both in- 

 discriminate and in- 

 satiable, they do an 

 enormous amount of 

 mischief in the in- 

 habited localities infested by them. It would seem to be impossible to guard against their attacks, 

 as they make their way underground, or in covered passages, until they reach the spot where their 

 instinct tells them that they will find suitable food, when they make their way up into it, without 

 any necessity of exposing themselves. In this way they will attack woodwork of all kinds, including 

 articles of furniture, the substance of which they destroy, leaving untouched a thin outer shell, 

 so that all the strength may be gone out of a wooden construction, while the appearance of solidity 

 still remains. Even ships have occasionally been destroyed or rendered quite unserviceable by the 

 ravages of these insects. 



Their nests are made sometimes in the trunks or among the branches of trees, sometimes upon 

 or in the ground. Termes lucifmjus, already mentioned, is one of the species which take up their 

 abode in galleries dug in woody material. They infest the trunks of pines and oaks, and will also 

 256 



DIFFERENT FORMS OF WHITE AXTS (Termes lutifugus). 



1, Workman; 2, Soldier; 3, Larva: 4, ' Supplementary Female" ; 5, Nymph; 6, Male . 7, Female; 

 8, Gravid Female (all Magnifies.). 



