THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. ol 
mecia, from Tasmania. In the group M. forficata, M. sangur- 
nea, M. tricolor, are still very confused, and there are cer- 
tainly still some fine species to be yet discovered. 
Australia is very rich in fine species of the genus Polyza- 
chis, but very little is known about thei nests. The nests of 
‘s~ (from other countries) are formed by the aid of the 
larvae with a silky or papery substance under leaves of trees. 
There would be these interesting observations to make, and 
still many more new species to find. 
The Podomyrma, Ectatomma and Rhytidoponera are won- 
derfully rich in local species, and I am sure there are still 
many more species to be found. 
Several species of Iridomyrmex of which there have only 
been found a few females with a long flat head, as I. angulv- 
ceps, Forel, and I. froggatt?, Forel, living in cavities of plants, 
trunks of trees, or natural cavities under the bark of trees, 
and these all specially adapted as the analagous forms of 
Azteca. It would be extremely interesting to break out the dry 
trunks, or to look in the living plants in the trunk or hollows 
or in the spines of Acacias or other kind of plant hollows. I 
am sure that one would find curious special adaptations as 
one finds so many in America. 
There also you will find Camponotus with a truncate head 
(Colobopsis) among which the large headed soldiers act as 
doorkeepers or guards at the entrance of the nest. They are 
known from Australia, but their nests have never been found. 
It would be interesting to pay attention to the species of 
ants that are parasitic on the hosts of other species, In your 
No. 182 from Howlong, you have collected Meranfplus ocean- 
icus, Sm. but with these workers was one female and some 
males much smaller and certainly one species parasitic (on 
M. oceanicus?) which I have named hospes,n. sp. It would 
be interesting to refind it, and at the same time find the tru 
male and female of M. oceanicus. 
In drawing attention to the finding of the ant hills one has 
the chance of meeting with the host species and the parasite 
species. One discovers this much more in Europe, Asia, 
America and Africa than Australia. 
The male and female of Oerapachys (Phyracaces) would be 
also interesting to find. I am sure that in searching one 
would still find many species of Strumigenys and Solenopsis, 
the first in rotten wood, or in sifting it, the second in the 
walls of the nests of the big ants. 
The genus Melophorus is exclusively Antartic and Austra- 
lian. It is extremely interesting and rich in Australian spe- 
cies; one can only find it in New Zealand and Chili. There are 
still many interesting things to discover. 
