4 ARKIV FÖR ZOOLOGI. BAND 12. N:0 15. 



Order Isoptera, 

 I. Family Mastotermitidae Holmgr. 



1. Mastotermes darwinieiisis Frogg. 



This very archaic form seems to be widely and copi- 

 ously spread all över the sub-tropical belt of Australia. It 

 is common in the Kimberly district, where it can be found 

 under logs and stones and in dead tree-trunks. It causes 

 great damage by attacking dry timber, planks, poles etc. 

 The »nest» is not yet known. I have found its very sim- 

 ple galleries and duets, forming hole by hole covered up 

 by a clay substance in the soft wood of the »cork-tree» 

 (Gyrcarpiis Jaquini) in the vicinity of Broome (^Vg)- I 

 have also found its simple galleries under EucalypHis bark 

 (Broome ^jio) extending deeply into the sound wood. Soldiers 

 and workers can be found at any time of the year. I have 

 specimens from Derby (»on the root of tomato-plants»), 

 Broome (»under the bark of a fallen tree, building galleries 

 of clay», »under a stone on the ground», »making galleries 

 of clay on walls»), Laura (North Queensland), in the nests of 

 Euter7nes rnagnus, also on the ground in dead logs. 



The winged insects appear at the beginning of the wet 

 season (Dec, Jan.) and can easily be collected at night- 

 time with a light. — Noonkanbah C^/s), Spring station, Oscar 

 Range (^Vi). 



II. Family Protermitldae Holmgr. 



Genus Stolotermes Hagen. 



This well defined genus was hitherto represented by only 

 two species, St. brunneicornis Hag. from Tasmania and St. 

 ruficeps Br. from New Zealand. Of the former only the 

 imago, of the latter the imago (wingless) and the soldier were 

 known. The genus differs in so many important characters 



