i04 LIFE STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. 



mandibles are in the form of a pair of dark stout 

 chitinous plates or blades, just under the upper lip 

 or labruni. The outer chewing jaws or first maxil- 

 lae are very much modified from those of the biting 

 mouth. The maxillary palpi or palps which are 

 long- and fine jointed in the former, are here re- 

 duced to mere lobes at the base of the maxillae; 

 the latter, instead of being strong jaws, are elon- 

 gated to form a pair of long palp-like appendages 

 capable of free movement and clothed with hairs. 

 The labium and inner maxillae which in the biting- 

 mouth are fused to form a solid central and pos- 

 terior basal lip, called generally the labium, here are 

 still fused, but the labial palpi are elongated to form 

 much longer appendages, and the central part is 

 elongated to form the ligula or tongue. The ligula 

 (Plate 25, Figs. 4 and 6) is a central rod with three 

 grooves and a rounded button-like appendage, the 

 bouton, at the tip. There is a central elongate 

 groove along this rod, and two smaller lateral side- 

 grooves. Should only a small quantity of nectar be 

 taken up the central groove is used, if a larger quan- 

 tity the side grooves are also used. The ligula and 

 labial palpi are clothed with hairs. Should a still 

 larger bulk of nectar be absorbed the insect employs 

 a very wonderful means of obtaining it. It places the J 

 long palp-like outer maxillae side by side till the 

 hairs of each intertwine. Then underneath these it 

 brings the lower elongate labial palpi, in such a 

 position as to make them fit closely against the 

 upper maxillse, and the hairs of the four appendages 





