June, 1907.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 37 



longinoda, Latr., by Mr. E. H. Kohl, missionary at Stanleyville, 

 on the Congo. 



In the Biologische Centralblatt, 1905 (No. 6, p. 170), appeared 

 a communication by A. Forel, entitled " Enige Biologische 

 Beobachtungen des Herrn Prof. E. Goldi an Brasilianischen 

 Ameisen," in which the web-spinning habit is recorded for a 

 Brazilian species, Camponotus senex. 



These are all the references I have been able to find on the 

 subject, but 1 regret that I have been unable to see all the 

 articles quoted. 



With regard to Mr. Dodd's article, I feel certain that the name 

 (Ecophylla sviaragdina is not correct for the Australian species, 

 which was evidently the writer's opinion also, as indicated by the 

 note of interrogation in the title. 



Both the Asiatic and Australian species have been described by 

 Fabricius under the family Formica, the Asiatic being (Ecophylla 

 smaragdina, and the Australian ffi'. virescens. In (E. smaragdina 

 the females are green, the males dark brown, and the workers red, 

 hence the popular name, " Red Ant " in English and " Roode 

 Mier " in Dutch. 



On the other hand, the workers of the Australian CE. virescena 

 are of the same green colour as their females, whilst the males are, 

 I believe, black. 



The description given by Mr. Dodd of the habits of these ants 

 agrees in all details with what I have myself observed in 

 (E. smaragdina, which is not to be woncered at, considering that 

 both species are of the same genus. I have not, however, found 

 any caterpillars or spiders associating with Q^. smaragdina, but the 

 fact may have escaped my notice, and I will pay special attention 

 to it on my return to Java next year. The statement that the 

 Australian ant never touches dead lizards, snakes, and birds seems 

 to me doubtful, for (E. smaragdina does, as I found once in a nest 

 of these ants the skeleton of a small lizard, tlatydactylus, sp., 

 and took a photo, of the nest with its contents. 



The larvae of Folyrhachis dives, when being used as a spinning- 

 instrument, continually extends and contracts its " snout," and 

 thereby seems to take an active part in making the thread adhere 

 to tiie leaves. The larvae of (E. smaragdina seemed to me to 

 play a more passive role in the whole proceeding, but this point 

 needs further investigation. 



In December, 1905, I discovered at Samarang a small cater- 

 pillar which is a parasite of Folyrhachis. It lives in great 

 numbers in the nests of the ants. The caterpillars are enclosed 

 in the web of the nest (which is woven by the ants with the aid 

 of their larva?) in curious little cocoons, which they make in the 

 shape of two-valved shells. As soon as they can get at the 

 cocoons of the ants, they fasten them with some threads, and then 



