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I 



NOTES ON A TERMITOrHILOUS TINEID LARVA. Ii 



tlie squared end of the second one with two conical, transparent 

 appendages. whicli are concentrically striated. The mandibles 

 (Fig. 5) are well developed. both of exactly the same shape, 

 broad at the base, flatbened. with a high ridge and at the top 

 divided into three teeth: when closed, they just reach each 

 other with the tips. 



Tlie eyes are small, situated below the antennae. The 

 labriim is short and broad, provided with six pairs of hairs. 



The first maxillae are short. the palpus being conical, 2- 

 jointed. the mala interiör and the mala exteriör being reduced 

 to minute appendices. The labium. the labial palp?e and the 

 spinneret are of the usual shape. 



Biology. 



The larva lives as above stated, in the treenest of a Rhino- 

 termes. The relation between the larva? and the termite is 

 evidently of a friendly nature. When disturbed, the larvse 

 were seen to make their way to other parts of the nest, coming 

 along one af ter the other, with regular intervals. like in a pro- 

 cession, each larva being escorted by a f ew soldiers and workers. 



In order to ascertain the nature of the relation betAveen 

 the larva and the termite I placed about thirty of the former 

 in a jar together with pieces of the nest and termites. The 

 larvae seemed to thrive well and were af ter a w^eek still all alive; 

 an examination of their intestines proved their contents to be 

 of the w^ooden stuff of which the nest was build. 



It is thus evident that the presence of the larva in the ter- 

 mites' nests is due to the fact that they depend upon the nest- 

 stuff for food. Its mandibles are also certainly neither of the 

 proper shape nor strong enough to enable the larva to attack 

 the tree. 



The nest is constructed of soft, thin lamellse. consisting 

 exclusively of vegetable matter exceedingly minutely ground 

 and cemented together by means of the secretion of the wor- 

 kers glands. Such stuff, so to say prepared in advance, which 

 is very likely rendered more nutritions by the cementing fluids, 

 certainty must form a excellent food for the larva. The larvse 

 are therefore undoubtly to be classed amongst the noxious 

 vermin in the Bhinotermes-commumty. Still they dont seem 

 to do mucli damage in the nests. At all events I was unable to 

 notice any damage caused by them even in the nest, where 



