Marvels of the Universe 
study this lizard in its desert home in Mexico 
or Arizona. The startling pattern of the 
European salamander gives warning of a 
defensive secretion poured out by glands in 
the skin. 
way, and although ordinarily well concealed, 
it can adopt the most remarkable warning 
attitude. I have seen a toad, attacked by 
a dog, entirely disconcert its adversary by 
swelling out its body to an enormous size, at 
the same time rising to its fullest height on 
all four legs. The venomous tropical American 
coral snake, on the left at the bottom of 
the plate, possesses a very remarkable and 
unusual pattern, although one that is more 
often seen in caterpillars. Mr. 
The toad is defended in the same 
Thayer con- 
siders that it promotes concealment, as, in- 
deed, is probably true at a distance. But 
the pattern is mimicked by harmless snakes 
in the same locality, and there can be little 
doubt that it belongs to the class of Warning 
Colours. Other venomous snakes, which are 
ordinarily inconspicuous, warn their enemies, 
on a near approach, by warning attitudes, as 
with the cobra and hamadryad, or warning 
sounds, as with the rattlesnake, or the Indian 
Beaked Echis. It must be remembered that 
it is of no advantage to a snake to bite 
an enemy it cannot eat. It will, on the 
contrary, be weakened for a time by the 
loss of its last line of 
of venom. 
defence—the store 
Warning Colours sounds 
attitudes enable the snake to pre- 
serve this weapon when oftentimes it would 
be wasted. 
and 
and 
WHITE ANTS 
BY HAROLD BASTIN 
WuitE Ants are ~ Ants” only in name. 
The true Ant undergoes the complete meta- 
morphosis of grub and chrysalis, while the 
newly-hatched White Ant is very like its 
parents, except in size and the absence of 
wings, arriving at the adult state through a 
gradual process of development unmarked by 
abrupt form-changes. 
Photo by 
[Harold Bastin. 
THE RAVAGES OF THE TERMITE. 
A piece of wood riddled with tunnels and completely pul- 
woodwork—and little else—is 
The thing attacked—be it table, or 
box, or even a living tree—is always hollowed completely out 
verized by the Termites. No 
immune from their ravages. 
and only a husk left. 
It is, therefore, wise to substitute the name “ Termite” for that of White 
Ant and avoid ambiguity. Termites are remarkably ant-like, however, in their manner of life. 
Most 
of the species dwell together in populous communities, the social organization of which is highly com- 
