148 BIOLOGY OF NORTH AUSTRALIAN TERMITES^ 



not find with the two series of images previously taken in nests occupied by E. 

 vernoni. The larger species, the generic position of which I have not determined, 

 is of much commoner occurrence in the nests of E. vernoni than is the smaller 

 Harmtermes. During the period September-February of the years 1919-20 and 

 1920-21 the nymjjhs or the alate forms only of this species were taken in many 

 of the nests examined. In most instances they were found with the nymphs, or 

 imagos of the host species, according to the period, but in numerous cases they 

 were found in termitaria which contained no other nymphs or imagos. In fact, 

 during those seasons the nymphs or the imagos of the unidentified guest species 

 were more often found than those of the host species and in only two instances 

 were the latter unaccompanied by the former. All attempts to find the soldier 

 and worker castes proved unsuccessful. During the present season (1921-1922) 

 with more leisure at about the "swarming" period and with the assistance of an 

 energetic companion I was able to examine a large number of termitaria, only 

 to find a complete absence of all castes of the unidentified species. 



The grass stored in these termitaria is nearly always infested with the larvae, 

 pupae and imagos of a small beetle, which Mr. A. M. Lea has described under 

 the name Palorus eutermiphilus. From the same nests Mr. Lea has also identi- 

 fied Mandalotus geminatus Lea which, he informs me, is not a true inquiline. The 

 partially abandoned upper parts of the nests often harbour the larvae, pupae 

 and imagos of the Carabid beetle Gigadema sulcatum Macl. (identified by Mr. T. 

 G. Sloane) and an unidentified Scarabaeid and Elatrid. The most remarkable 

 inhabitants of these mounds are, however, large Coleopterous larvae which are 

 enclosed by the termites in closely fitting cells in which they are fed and attended 

 by their hosts. I have examples measuring from 15 to 60 mm. in length, but I 

 have not yet succeeded in rearing them to the pupal or adult stage, although I 

 have at the present time living specimens which have been in captivity for two 

 years without food or the attendance of termites. It is intended to publish some 

 notes elsewhere on these insects. 



EUTEEMES PALMERSTONI, U.Sp. (Text-figS. 12-14.) 



Eutermes triodiae Hill {nee Froggatt), Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., xL, 1915, p. 107. 

 Q uee n. 



Colour: Head very dark brown; antennae, clypeus, and legs buckthorn 

 brown ; labrum yellow ; thorax, wing-stumps and tergites of abdomen auburn. 



Head large, posterior margin semicircular to the hind margin of the eyes, 

 front concave; fontanelle large, shaped like a key-hole, in line with ocelli; dorsal 

 surface covered with fine short hairs; ocelli moderately large and well separated 

 from the eyes; eyes large (diam. 0.470 x 0.564) and prominent, finely faceted, 

 the lower margin less than one-third the short diameter from the lower margin 

 of head; post-elypeus moderately large, arcuate behind, truncate in front, with 

 fairly distinct median suture; anteclypeus hyaline, large, produced anteriorly in 

 the middle; labrum strongly convex, narrow at the base, swollen on the sides, 

 rounded in front. Antennae 16-jointed, first joint long and stout, second half 

 as long as first and much narrower, third one-fourth longer than second, fourth 

 as long as second, oval. 



Thorax: Fronotum with anterior margin concave and bent up, lateral areas 

 rounded, sides narrowed to the deeply emarginate posterior border, the whole 

 surface densely clothed with short fine setae, as on head. A clear depression on 

 each lateral area and a larger angular patch behind the anterior margin. Wing- 



