1 68 



being attacked by species of termites. A copy of this report, to 

 which I shall allude later, was sent to me together with three 

 different specimens of the termites committing the damage. 



Two of these have now been identified by M. DESNEUX, the 

 well-known authority on the Termitidae ) as Termes Gestroi and a 

 species of Termes closely allied to T. annameitsis, Desn., which had 

 previously been reported from Annam. No identification of the 

 remaining specimens sent has yet been found possible owing to 

 workers only having been received. We will consider these insects 

 in detail : — 



Termes Gestroi. 



The workers are elongate, pale yellowish white insects with the 

 head small, pale; the first thoracic segment enlarged and broader 

 than the two following. 



The body is oval, broader than the meso, and metathorax and 

 bluntly pointed posteriorly. Length Jth inch. 



The soldier is smaller than the worker. The mandibles black, 

 prominent and crossed over one another. First thoracic segment 

 enlarged and orange in colour ; rest of insect yellower than in 

 worker; legs more elongate and powerful. Length i /5th inch. 



According to Mr. Ryan this termite attacks the tree at the crown 

 of the root and eats its way upwards, hollowing out the trunk. 

 Since the white ants commence their work well below the ground, 

 there is no indication of their presence until the trees begin to show 

 signs of withering. The damage has then gone too far for it to be 

 possible to save the attacked tree. The branches begin to die and 

 drop and the tree itself falls in the first strong breeze. 



It would appear that Termes Gestroi attacks the tree for the pur- 

 pose of obtaining the rubber from it, for, on applying pressure to 

 the bodies of the termites, it was found that the majority of them 

 were full of fresh latex. They apparently collect and store the 

 rubber, masses of rubber being found as a rule in the nests, which 

 are usually situated at the crown of the root. From one of these 

 nests situated at the base of a three-foot girth tree as much as 2 lbs. 

 of rubber was collected. 



An examination of the crown portion of the root of a tree shows 

 that the main direction of the galleries made by the termite is hori- 

 zontal, i.e., parallel' with the long axis. These galleries are of 

 considerable size, ramifying a great deal, have smooth sides, and are 

 connected here and there by holes or short galleries eaten out in a 

 vertical direction. The galleries practically form an intricate mass 

 of chambers which are kept quite free of earth and some of which 

 are evidently stored with a certain amount of rubber. In the speci- 

 men of the root I have examined, it is apparent that the work of the 

 termite is entirely confined to the crown of the root, none of the 

 tunnels extending upwards into the stem (in the present case stems, 

 for there were two taking off from the root). 



