SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXVIII. No. i 



tions for the attainment of characters prede- 

 termined by heredity." Bugnion/ studying 

 Eutermes lacustris and Termes Redemanni 

 Wasm. and Horni Wasm. states that the dif- 

 ferentiation takes place during the embryo 

 stage for the three castes, rather than undiffer- 

 entiated larvae being developed to the castes by 

 the character of the food they receive. 



Observations by the writer of molting sol- 

 dier larvas of Leucotermes spp. and Termopsis 

 angusticollis Walk, show that the differentia- 

 tion takes place during a "quiescent"* stage 

 rather late in the life cycle. At this point a 

 brief outline of the life cycle is necessary. 



In the metamorphosis of the above species 

 the eggs hatch into active, undifferentiated 

 larvffi which develop to the various mature 

 forms or castes by a gradual growth through a 

 series of molts and quiescent stages. During 

 the quiescent stage both the larvae and nymphs 

 pass through an inactive period, of compara- 

 tively short duration, isolated, lying on the 

 side, head bent dowa to lie on the ventral side 

 of the body along which the antennae and legs 

 also lie extended in a backward direction. The 

 writer first observed molting larvae in a quies- 

 cent stage on August 11, 1911, in a colony 

 near Jerseyville, Illinois. During April, 1912, 

 the development of nymphs of the first and 

 second forms of Leucotermes fiavipes Kol. and 

 virginicus Banks was observed at Falls 

 Church, Virginia, and it was noted that both 

 these nymphs passed through a quiescent stage 

 in the final molt to the reproductive forms; 

 nymphs of Termopsis angusticollis Walk, also 

 pass through this quiescent stage. From the 

 first to the middle of August, 1913, freshly 

 molted, pigmentless soldiers of fiavipes in the 

 stage preceding maturity were noticeable in 

 colonies in Virginia. On August lY, 1913, 

 molting stfldier larvae were found in the quies- 

 cent stage in a colony of virginicus at Chain 



^Bugnion, Pr. E., "La diff&eneiation des castes 

 ohez les Termites," Bull, de la Societe entomolo- 

 gique de France, No. 8, April, 1913, pp. 213-18. 



•* Strickland, E. H., "A Quiescent Stage in the 

 Development of Termes fiavipes Kol.," Journ. 

 N. Y. Ent. Soc, Vol. XIX., No. 4, December, 1911, 

 pp. 256-59. 



Bridge, Virginia. During the quiescent stage 

 differentiation took place. Larvae to all ex- 

 ternal appearances undifferentiated or of the 

 worker type (as shown by the head, the man- 

 dibles — with marginal teeth — and the labrum 

 of the still adhering larval skin), the indi- 

 viduals (virginicus) being over 3 mm. in 

 length in the quiescent condition, antennae 

 with 14 segments, develop at this molt to pig- 

 mentless nymphs of soldiers with more elon- 

 gate, soldier-like head and saber-like mandi- 

 bles, without marginal teeth. In this stage 

 the head, mandibles, labrum and " menton " 

 (Bugnion) have not attained the shape or 

 length of those of the mature soldier, there 

 being at least one later molt to maturity. 



Therefore, it may be stated that in case of 

 Leucotermes spp. and Termopsis angusticollis 

 Walk., the differentiation of the soldier caste 

 occurs during a molt and quiescent stage 

 rather late in the life cycle of the insect, the 

 larva? being previously, to all external appear- 

 ances, undifferentiated. 



Thomas E. Snyder 



Bureau op Entomology, 

 Branch of Forest Insects, 

 September 11, 1913 



TEE AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY 

 The twentieth summer meeting and seventh 

 colloquium of the American Mathematical 

 Society were held at the University of Wis- 

 consin during the week September 8-13, 1913. 

 The attendance, which exceeded that of any 

 previous summer meeting of the society, in- 

 cluded fifty-seven members. The four sessions 

 of the summer meeting proper, for the presen- 

 tation of papers, occupied the first two days of 

 the week. The first session opened with an 

 address of welcome by Professor C. S. Slichter 

 in behalf of the University of Wisconsin and 

 the local members of the society. The presi- 

 dent of the society, Professor E. B. Van Vleck, 

 occupied the chair at this and at the final ses- 

 sion. Professor Oskar Bolza presided at the 

 second, and Professor W. E. Osgood at the 

 third session. The council announced the 

 election of the following persons to member- 

 ship in the society: Mr. W. E. Anderson, 



