TEKMITKS FKOM TIfE AUSTRALIAN REGION. 
the same colony. The measurements recorded here are of specimens 
from thirteen colonies in which the alate form or queen is present to 
confirm diagnosis. The original description and figure of the pro- 
notum of this caste is misleading ; in reality the anterior margin is 
not truncate but quite typical, i.e., bent up, and the anterolateral 
angles are narrowed as shown in Fig. 6(). The antennae have 
elongate joints (see Fig. 68). 
M easurements.—^ - 
mm. 
Total length 
4*75 
Head, with mandibles, long . . 
.. 2 -05-2 -73 
,, base to labral suture, long 
.. 1-19-1 -60 
,, wide 
.. 0-80-1-00 
Mandibles, from external articulation, long 
.. 0-85-1-08 
Antennae, long 
1-25 
Pronotum, long 
0-28 
,, wide 
.. 0-51-0-56 
Tibia iii, long 
0-71 
Loculi ty. North ()ueensland : Torrens Cheek, Fentland ((1. F. 
(Viok), Townsville and Magnetic Island ((l.F.H.) ;. New South AVales 
(received from Prof. Holmgren). 
Identification. The identification of the above-mentioned speci- 
mens is based on a comparison of soldiers and workers from Torrens 
Creek (type locality) and Pentland (50 miles from Torrens Creek) 
with CO -types in the South Australian Museum collection. The 
colony from Pentland includes alate imagos, which agree with those 
in ten colonies fmni Townsville and Magnetic Island. 
Afiin.ities. 'I'his species is most closely related to M. boreus 
(q.v.). It is also allied to M . pcirnceps, but the latter is more reddish 
in colour, has slightly larger eyes and much smaller ocelli. 
Biology.- Fences, house piles, timber bridges. &c.. are often 
seriously damaged by these termites, the presence of which is generally 
indicated by small external covered-ways or " tubes,” or by more or 
less extensive envelopment of exposed surfaces by a sheathing com- 
posed of triturated wood and earth. Although the interior of the 
wood, and especially the buried portion, is most severely damaged, 
much of their food ap})ears to be derived from the weathered surfaces 
of hardwood timber, in cracks and crevices in fences or dead forest 
trees and bushes and other similar ]daces, where one may see the 
freshly-gnawed surface in advance of the protective “ tube ” or 
sheathing. This surface feeding is of little consequence as a rule, 
but very often when the colony is situated in a slab or picket fence, 
for example, the operations are extended to the concealed parts 
between pickets and rails, or to the mortices, and thence into the 
solid wood. Painted surfaces appear to be immune from attack. 
The following notes will convey some idea of the habits of this 
I (52 ] 
