HE VISION OF THE JAPANESE TERMITES. 119 



Termes vulgaris Haviland, but in the course of the same paper he 

 proposed a new name Termes formosana^ from other specimens 

 which are undoubtedly the same as the first. Oshima (2, 3, 6) used 

 Termes vulgaris Haviland adopting the Shieaki's view. Subsequent- 

 ly other writers such as Matsumuea, U. Nawa, Nitobe and Shieaki 

 himself , also have treated it as Termes vulgaris Haviland. Eecently, 

 however, Oshima (8, 9, 10) adopted the name Termes formosana [sic] 

 Shieaki, giving up Termes vulgaris Haviland entirely. Holmgeen 

 recorded this termite under the name of Odontotermes {Cyclotermes) 

 formosanus (4) or Odontotermes formosanus (5). Here I adopt the 

 generic name proposed by Holmgeen and the specific name given 

 by Shieaki. 



This termite is commonly found all over Formosa. Its colony 

 is composed of a large number of individuals and constructs an 

 underground nest, consisting of a royal cell and many compartments 

 surrounding it. The walls of the royal cell are made of the laminae 

 of clay. The cells containing the round spongy fungus bed in 

 each are connected with one other by means of many narrow 

 galleries. But, it must be remembered that the above description 

 is referable only to the older nests. In younger ones, the distinct 

 royal cell is lacking, and moreover, the fungus beds are less in 

 number and smaller in size. It is remarkable that the species 

 has the winged forms enormously large in comparison with the 

 soldiers and workers. The damages done by this termite are said 

 to be fairly extensive consisting in their attacks on stumps, logs, 

 timbers, living trees, sugar-canes, etc. 



1) It needs hardly be mentioned that Shieaki's specific name Termes formosana should 

 lake the masculine form formosanus. 



