254 THE NATURALIST IN AUSTRALIA. 



accomplish this undertaking a number of the Green Ants were assembled on the 

 outside and were engaged in rows in gripping and drawing to their closest proximity 

 the edges of the adjacent leaves. This strained position, with every muscle at the 

 fullest tension, was maintained, it might be, for hours together without its being 

 possible to detect the rationale of the ants' manoeuvres. The weaving and binding of 

 the leaf edges to one another was probably progressing throughout this interval, but 

 on the inner side only of the approximated edges. 



Presently an ant was seen to emerge from the interior of the nest, carrying 

 with it a whitish object, which on nearer examination proved to be one of the 

 matured grubs or larvse. This grub was carried to the scene of one of the labouring 

 parties occupied in holding the leaf edges together. Grasping the grub by the centre 

 of its body, the ant then held it in such a position that its extended head could just 

 come in contact with one of the gripped edges, to which the grub sought to 

 attach itself by exuding a glutinous silk fibre from its mouth. No sooner, however, 

 had the larva effected a silken attachment to one leaf edge than it was immediately 

 transported to the opposite one, to -which, in like manner, it endeavoured to 

 effect a secure anchorage. The silken cord was drawn out and carried across the 

 intervening space, and, being fastened again to this opposite edge, made the first 

 complete stitch to unite the respective leaf edges. This simple process was repeated 

 over and over again until the silk supply of the larva was exhausted, when it 

 was carried back to the nursery and another grub substituted in its place. The 

 larvte thus selected and utilised as weaving shuttles were in all cases matured 

 individuals that were on the point of entering upon the pupseform condition and had 

 consequently their silk glands fully developed. So soon as a sufficient amount of silk 

 fibre had been woven between and over the opposing leaf edges to overcome their 

 natural tendency to spring apart, the labouring ants relaxed their grip, and either 

 commenced operations on other leaf edges or retired into their nest. The rare 

 occasions on which it was found possible to detect these insects engaged upon their 

 remarkable weaving operations favour the belief that they are usually accomplished 

 at night. 



The leading data, here recorded, concerning " The weaving properties of the 

 Australian Green Ant" were communicated by the writer in a paper bearing the 

 foregoing title, contributed to the Queensland Koyal Society's Meeting of May 15th, 

 1891. Nest- weaving phenomena of a similar character were subsequently observed 

 by Mr. H. N. Ridley of an allied Malaccan species, Formica smamgdina, and 



