. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. 384 NEUROPTERA climbed up plants and gave audible signals to the army, which immediately responded with a hissing noise and by increasing their pace with the utmost hurry; they continued marching by the spot where Smeathman observed them for upwards of an hour. He was not able to find their nests, and no specimens have been preserved ; both soldiers and workers possessed eyes. March- ing in this way by daylight is contrary to the nature of ordinary Termites, and some doubt has existed as to the correctness of Smeathman's observation, which has in fact
. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. 384 NEUROPTERA climbed up plants and gave audible signals to the army, which immediately responded with a hissing noise and by increasing their pace with the utmost hurry; they continued marching by the spot where Smeathman observed them for upwards of an hour. He was not able to find their nests, and no specimens have been preserved ; both soldiers and workers possessed eyes. March- ing in this way by daylight is contrary to the nature of ordinary Termites, and some doubt has existed as to the correctness of Smeathman's observation, which has in fact remained for upwards of a century without confirmation. Mr. G-. D. Haviland has, however, this year discovered in Natal a Termite which shows that there are species in Africa of the kind described by Smeathman, the workers and soldiers being possessed of facetted eyes. Mr. Haviland states that the workers of this species issue from holes in the ground during the heat of the day and cut grass both dead and green. They carry it, in lengths of about two inches, to the mouths of the holes, often leaving it there and going at once to fetch more. Under acacia bushes they carry acacia leaflets as well as grass. In Fig. 238.âEyed, ,Hodotermeshaviland!, mirlrllQ nf fK A, soldier ; B, worker. South Africa. In life the head ^'^^ miQCUe 01 tne is carried horizontally, so the piece of grass sticks up like day more graSS ac- â ^^° '^' crunulates at the entrance to the holes than can be taken in, but as the heat of the day diminishes the workers cease to forage and take in the accumulation. When the grass is all in they sometimes close the mouth of the hole with moistened pellets of earth brought in their mouths. The soldiers remain in the holes; when dis- turbed they jerk themselves like soldiers of other species to frighten away the intruder; when they bite, their grip is very tenacious. The holes are about ^ of an inch in diameter, and there are usually several
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1895
