THE TERMITE, OE WHITE ANT. 347 



take wing. The males and females take no particular notice of 

 each other until they have made their preliminary flight, which 

 is but short ; they soon alight on the ground, or on the dinner- 

 table, as the case may be, making direct for a light if their 

 flight is after dark. 



"As soon as they obtain a footing after their descent from 

 their aerial expedition, both males and females commence to 

 run a most headlong and reckless career. Nothing appears to 

 arrest their progress. The female, who is larger and more full in 

 figui-e than the male, is also slower in her movements. She 

 stops from time to time and performs slow and singular contor- 

 tions with the hinder portion of her body. I can't help thinking 

 that she gives out some peculiar odour at these times — at all 

 events the males are sensible of the scent of the females, and if 

 they, in their more rapid quartering of the ground, pass over the 

 track of a female, their excitement and activity is redoubled, and 

 they take up the running with singular pertinacity. 



" Up to this point both male and female ant retain their wings, 

 and it is as difficult to deprive them of these members as it is to 

 pull the wings from a house-fly. No sooner, however, does the 

 male ant overtake the female, than he makes a dash at the but- 

 too-willing flirt, and seizes (gently, I presume) the extreme end 

 of her plump figure with his jaws. This is the signal to the 

 female that she no longer requires her wings, and at once, with 

 a jerk, both male and female throw from them these now useless 

 incumbrances. Away they go, madam towing my lord, who 

 never quits his hold, but clings to the skirts of his ladylove in a 

 most gallant manner. They race over stock and stone, over 

 garden walk, verandah, or dinner-table, as the case may be, until 

 they jointly fall victims to the ever-watchful birds, beasts, or 

 fishes, who are all on the qui vive for the dainty morsel 



" Should they escape all then- numerous enemies, and not suc- 

 ceed in being swept from the table by the ever- watchful kitmut- 

 gar, the female soon selects for her home, in which to spend the 

 honeymoon of her existence, some spot which seems adapted for 

 the end which she has in view. If she is a prudent, cautious 

 dame, she picks out some soft nodule of earth moistened by 

 the recent rain, and having done so, she communicates to her 

 lord and follower by some means, which to me are inscnitable, 

 that she thinks the lodgings will do. 



