Mr Lewin, The Division of Holosticha scutellum. 241 
The Division of Holosticha scutellum. By K. R. Lewsy, B.A. 
(Communicated by Professor NUTTALL.) 
[Read 5 May 1913.] 
THE account of the behaviour of the micronuclei at division, 
given by A. Gruber (“ Weitere Beobachtungen an vielkernigen 
Infusorien,” Ber. Naturf. Ges. zu Freiburg I.B. Bd. 11. (1887), 
pp. 57—70) is not confirmed. In the period between divisions, 
H. scutellum possesses only a small number of micronuclei of 
about the size of the meganuclear segments, with which they have 
been confused. There is therefore no necessity to assume that 
numerous micronuclear divisions occur at the fission of the in- 
fusorian. Over the very limited series of preparations in which 
the micronuclei have been counted, a tendency is evident for the 
smaller numbers to occur at or near the stage of maximum con- 
centration of the meganucleus. If this is significant, a reduction 
in the number of micronuclei must take place before division. 
There is, however, no evidence, nor any need to assume, that 
fusion of micronuclei is the way in which such a reduction would 
be accomplished. 
Exhibition of living Termites. By Professor A. D. IvMs. 
[Read 5 May 1913.] 
THE author exhibited tubes containing living examples of the 
Termite Archotermopsis wroughtoni Desn. The Termites were 
obtained by him from the Kumam Himalayas, where they occur 
in dead trunks of the Chir pine (Pinus longifolia) at an altitude 
varying from about 4500 to 5800 ft. This species was described 
by Desneux in 1904 and was only previously known from Kashmir 
where it occurs in stumps of Pinus excelsa. The most interesting 
features are seen in the length of the cerci, which are composed of 
7—8 joints in the sexual forms and of 6—7 joints in the soldiers 
and workers, in the possession of 5-jointed tarsi, and in the great 
development of the eyes. In the possession of these characters it 
is to be regarded as one of the most primitive of living Termites. 
Its nearest relationships are with two fossil species from the 
amber of Oeningen (Prussia) and the N. American genus 
Termopsis, Heer. 
