BY G. P. HILL. 151 



• The soldier is similar to E. triodiae but the head differs in shape aud is 

 much darker in colour (Text-flgs. 15 and 16). 



In an earlier publication '(IQIS) I described and fignred the termitaria and 

 discussed the habits of this species under the name Eutermes triodiae Frogg., a 

 species which it resembles only in the soldier caste. 



The immense termitaria erected by these termites entitle them to rank as one 

 of the most remarkable of the Australian species, sharing with Eutermes pyri- 

 formis Frogg. the distinction of building the highest nests of any known species. 

 The latter species is of further interest owing to the fact that, since its dis- 

 covery by the late N. Holtze over 20 years ago and its subsequent description by 

 Froggatt, it appears to have remained unknown to naturalists. With Froggatt's 

 excellent photographic reproduction of the termitarium and its discoverer's direc- 

 tion to the locality (near Darwin) for guidance I anticipated little difficulty in 

 learning more of the habits of this interesting insect, but all efforts to locate 

 another colony have so far failed. The termitarium figured by Froggatt is evi- 

 dently very similar, outwardly at any rate, to those of E. palmerstoni, which 

 are very common in the vicinity. The possibility that Holtze's specimens were 

 occupants of a part, or whole of a nest originally built by E. palmerstoni can- 

 not be overlooked, but his description of the interior of the nest, if correct, in- 

 dicates a species possessing feeding habits quite distinct from those of the latter 

 species. 



Eutermes mareebensis, n.sp. (Text-figs. 17-20.) 

 Imago. 



Not known. 



Sold i e r. (Text-flgs. 17-19.) 



Colour: Head very dark, nearly black; antennae and anterior half of prono- 

 tum fuscous, remainder of pronotum and tergites of abdomen lighter ; leg's yellow- 

 ish. 



Head: In profile (Text-fig. 17) long and slender, with long slender snout; 

 viewed from above (Text-fig. 18) the posterior part of the head is moderately 

 wide and rounded with a marked constriction behind the antennae. Antennae 

 (Text-fig. 19) 13-jointed, long and slender, longer than head, first joint long and 

 slender, twice as long as second and fourth, second and fourth equal in length 

 and shortest of all. fourth oval, third long and narrow, seven-tenths the length 

 of first and a little longer than fiifth, sixth and thirteenth elongate, sixth a little 

 longer than seventh, eighth to tenth and thirteenth a little longer than sixth, 

 nearly as long as first, eleventh and twelfth shorter than thirteenth, equal to 

 seventh. 



Thorax: Pronotum more than twice as wide as long, saddle-shaped, anterior 

 half very dark, bent up and fringed with short stout hairs, lateral margins nar- 

 row and rounded, posterior margin semicircular; mesonotum narrower, shorter 

 and more fiattened than pronotum. 



Legs very slender, not markedly long, moderately setaceous. 



Ahdorruen elongate, clothed similarly to legs, cerei long and slender. 



Measurements : 



Total length (when axis of head is parallel with axis of body) 3.75 mm. 



Head: long 1.22—1.30; wide 0.56; deep 0.37. 



Thorax and abdomen, long 1.90—2.00. 



Antennae (13-jointed), long 1.60. 



Pronotum: long 0.18; wide 0.42. 



Tibia iii. 0.84. 



Abdomen, wide 0.80. 



