52 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO FORESTS. 
On November 18, 1912, workers were observed to solicit liquid from 
the anus of a larval or ergatoid (?) queen, at Falls Church, Ya. On 
August 5, 1913, a fertilized, fully developed queen, collected at 
Yeitch, Ya., about 14 millimeters in length, ejected a clear white 
liquid from the anus, when disturbed. 
The rate of egg laying of the young and active queen is not very 
rapid, as clusters of eggs in varying numbers from about 6 to 12 
were observed in several cells with single pairs. The new colony at 
first is very small, and even after the rearing of the first brood of 
workers and soldiers the increase in numbers is not rapid. In July, 
1912, at Falls Church, Ya., about 12 small white eggs in a cluster 
were observed in a royal cell with young royal individuals of jlavipes. 
At least three were observed, probably 2 males and 1 female. These 
had been captured after the swarm on May 8, in the earth under a 
small piece of decaying wood. On July 29 the newly hatched larvae 
were observed, and on October 30 seven workers and one soldier sur- 
rounded a single royal pair. Fragments of the chitinized parts of 
another adult were found near the royal cell. The abdomen of an 
egg-laying female under observation, 13 months after swarming, 
was oblong and somewhat distended, the segments of the abdomen 
being slightly separated and showing white between. On October 
30, when the female in the royal cell was disturbed, she continually 
moved the end of the abdomen, curving it ventrally under the body. 
This alternate rising and falling of the abdomen has been described 
by Smeathman as a constant "peristaltic" movement, in the case 
of tropical species. No eggs had been laid since the first were de- 
posited in July, and it is believed that this so-called "peristaltic" 
movement in case of Leucotermes is merely the result of alarm, and 
has no direct bearing on egg laying. During this time the male still 
occupied the cell with the female and both were active. Eventually 
the abdomen of the female becomes immensely distended through 
the development of the ovaries, but in the case of certain species of 
Leucotermes the queen still retains the power of locomotion. 
It will thus be seen that development under the foregoing con- 
ditions is at best a slow process and not at all comparable to that 
which takes place in tropical species, where growth of the queen and 
the rate of egg laying is correspondingly rapid. 
On February 21, 1913, nine or more additional eggs were observed in 
a cluster near the royal cell of the above-mentioned pair. This cell 
was in a small decayed branch, placed on moist earth, and isolated 
in a tin box. On February 24 the first freshly hatched larva was 
observed. The abdomen of the queen at this time was not markedly 
distended. On May 16 freshly hatched larva? were again present in 
this colony. On August 15 six eggs, as well as newly hatched young, 
were present in the royal cell. The male still cohabited with the 
