annulosa: insecta. 263 



which uses materials differently compacted, and keeps to its 

 own portion of the tumulus." 



A family of Termites consists of a king and queen, of the 

 workers, and of the soldiers. The royal couple are the parents 

 of the colony, and "are always kept together, closely guarded 

 by a detachment of workers, in a large chamber in the very 

 heart of the hive, surrounded by much stronger walls than the 

 other cells. They are both wingless, and immensely larger 

 than the workers and soldiers. The queen, when in her 

 chamber, is always found in a gravid condition, her abdomen 

 enormously distended with eggs, which, as fast as they come 

 forth, are conveyed by a relay of workers in their mouths 

 from the royal chamber to the minor cells dispersed through 

 the hive." 



At the beginning of the rainy season a number of winged 

 males and females are produced, which, when they arrive at 

 maturity, leave the hive, and fly abroad. They then shed their 

 wings (a special provision for this existing in a natural seam 

 running across the root of the wing and dividing the nervures); 

 they pair, and then become the kings and queens of future 

 colonies. 



The workers and the soldiers are distinct from the moment 

 of their emergence from the egg, and they do not acquire 

 their special characteristics in consequence of any difference 

 of food or treatment. Both are wingless, and they differ solely 

 in the armature of the head. The duties of the workers are to 

 " build, make covered roads, nurse the young brood from the 

 egg upwards, take care of the king and queen, who are the 

 progenitors of the whole colony, and secure the exit of the 

 males and females when they acquire wings and fly out to 

 pair and disseminate the race." The duties of the soldiers are 

 to defend the community from all attacks which may be made 

 upon its peace, for which purpose the mandibles are greatly 

 developed. 



It may well be admitted, that in such organised communities 

 as those of the Termites, we have . the highest development of 

 Insect-life yet known to us. The principle of the division of 

 labour is carried out to its fullest extent — much further, indeed, 

 than is possible amongst human beings, — since the perfection 

 of the greater number of the individuals which . compose the 

 community — as organisms — is sacrificed in order to secure the 

 fulfilment of the duties which are necessary for the existence 

 and welfare of the whole. Even the task of perpetuating the 

 species, and of giving origin to fresh colonies, is entirely left 

 to one class of the community, the defence and protection of 



