670 DTt. II. n. KAXTIIAM AXD MISS ANXIK PORTER OX [jVIaj 3, 



counjry or ** Imsli," on tlie wlge of the tliick jungle or "scrub," 

 along the seu-c-oast of Kortliein Queensland. It is a very active 

 ])ngnacious insect, from half to three-ciuarters of an incli long, 

 living wholly or almost wholly in trees. In riding through the 

 coinitry one is frequently covei'ed with the actively-biting insects 

 which fall from a bough touched in passing. Fortunately the 

 bite, though momentarily se\ere, is not followed by any sub- 

 sequent irritation. 



The nest is built on the bough of a ti-ee and consists of a very 

 large number of leaves, generally fresh and green. These aie 

 matted together with a gelatinous material exuded from larvse 

 which the worker ants In-ing up to the site of the pi'ojected nest, 

 where ofchei- ants hold the edges of adjacent leaves together. 

 This process is repeated until the bundle may be sevei'al feet in 

 diameter. 



Tlu^ bridge formed of the bodies of the ants shown on the 

 screen was re-formed, when broken, by festoons of ants hanging 

 from the upper leaf until some of them, dropping from the festoon, 

 joined momentarily with others on top of the leaf and twigs 

 below. Othei's quickly joined in strengthening the bi'idge until 

 it was about four ants' width and eight ants' length. Then the 

 one leaf was seen to be dragged slowly nearer the other, decreasing 

 the bridge to five ants' length, and at this stage it remained for 

 several days, when I left the place. 



The ants "on duty" in the bridge over wjiich other ants ran 

 to and fro cariying their " game " wei'e watched cai-efully for 

 80 minutes, and none in the centre of the bridg'e was relieved 

 during that time -a rather remarkable feat of strength and 

 endurance. 



On a new Trypanoplasm, T. dendrocirli, sp. n., from 

 Dendrocoehi m lacteum. 



Dr. H. B. Fantham, F.Z.S., exhibited, on behalf of Miss Annie 

 Porter, D.Sc, and himself, preparations and original drawings of 

 a. new Trypaiwplasma {C^ryptoh'HC) fi'om the alimentaiy tiact of 

 ])endrocu:liiin lacteum. In some of the })reparations the living 

 organisms wei-e shown. The parasites measui etl from 20 ^/ to 40 /.i 

 long approximately. They were bidagellate, the posteiior tlagelhnn 

 forming a border to the undulating membrane. The blepharo- 

 plast (kinetoiuicleus) was large and often somewhat curved. It 

 was proposed to call the parasite Tri/panoplasma (Cri/ptobia) 

 doidrocnii. Thei-e was evidence of liei'editary infection of the 

 Planarian by the Trypavoplasina, for the parasites had been seen 

 to enter the eggs of the host, ami in .some cases to divide 

 longitudinally therein. 



Breeding-experiments on Dendroccehcm were in progress in order 

 to obtain further information concerning the hereditary trans- 

 mi.ssion of the parasite. Dr. Fantham and Miss Porter thought 



