54 
The Philippine Journal of Science 
1921 
specimens collected were scattered individuals and I have seen 
no large flights. The finding of these adults in different parts 
of the city lends color to the belief that this species is more wide- 
spread than the limited number of colonies found would indicate. 
Both the house in Ermita and the University Club building are 
badly infested with termites, my house partly at least by Euter- 
mes ( Microcerotermes ) and the club house partly at least by 
Coptotermes but possibly also by Prorhinotermes. These ter- 
mites, being wood-dwellers and apparently building no covered 
galleries such as those of Eutermes ( Microcerotermes ) or 
Coptotermes and not dropping fecal pellets as do many species 
of the Kalotermitidae, are not easily located; hence the poverty 
of our collections. 11 
SYSTEMATIC POSITION 
The few species of this widely separated genus have not been 
studied as thoroughly as might be wished. Further study of a 
wide range of material may show that we have a single very 
variable species ranging from Formosa to Samoa of which P. 
japonicus, P. luzonensis, P. flavus, and P. inopinatus are merely 
variants, or subspecies. The great variation in the wing vena- 
tion of P. luzonensis would lend color to this belief. 
From other species as now known, P. luzonensis dif- 
fers in the following points, among others: From P. oceanicus 
Wasmann, P. krakataui Holmgren, and P. simplex Hagen in 
the greater size of the winged adult, and very strikingly from the 
soldier of P. krakataui in the greater number of antennal seg- 
ments ; from P. toasmanni, a description of which I have failed 
to find, it probably differs in its larger size, since Holmgren 
believes P. wasmanni may represent the soldiers of P. ocean- 
icus; from each of the three closely related species P. japonicus, 
P. flavus, and P. inopinatus it differs in a number of minor 
points; from P. flavus, in wing venation, in toothing of man- 
dible of adult, and in relative breadth and length of pronotum; 
from P. japonicus and P. inopinatus, in greater convergence 
of anterior end of head of large soldier, etc. 
Prorhinotermes gracilis sp. nov. Text fig. 3. 
Types.— Dealated adult, large soldier, small soldier, and work- 
ers, No. 28 in type collection (from No. 150 in the general col- 
lection). 
11 Through the kindness of the Bureau of Public Works I am in position 
to report that this species has recently been found attacking the posts on 
the ground floor of the Bureau of Printing building. Further inspections of 
public buildings will probably show them to be quite common. 
