. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. 84 THE AUSTKALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. males. The males probably use it for exciting- the admiration of the females in courtship, since they may be seen at the mouths of their burrows with the large hand, which is very brilliantly coloured, in constant motion as though beckoning to attract the attention of the females. When feeding they always hold the hand readv for use the long-stalked. The Ant-house plant, which serves as the home of a numerous colony of small black ants. Photo—A. R. McOulIocli. eyes keeping a sharp lookout over the top. If ala
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. 84 THE AUSTKALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. males. The males probably use it for exciting- the admiration of the females in courtship, since they may be seen at the mouths of their burrows with the large hand, which is very brilliantly coloured, in constant motion as though beckoning to attract the attention of the females. When feeding they always hold the hand readv for use the long-stalked. The Ant-house plant, which serves as the home of a numerous colony of small black ants. Photo—A. R. McOulIocli. eyes keeping a sharp lookout over the top. If alarmed they scurry off side- ways, holding the large hand forwards in a fighting attitude. ANTS AXD TER]\nTES. In the low-lving countrv near the coast the ant-house plant is found. Be- sides the "white ants" (termitfs), which construct a great mound nest sometimes 18 feet in height, there are true ants which make their home in the curious button orchids. These ant-house plants ai'e usually to be found growing on the prper-bark trees. One i)art of the or- chid is enlarged to form an irregular mass aboi;t foui' inches in diameter. It has one or two entrances, and is honey- cond)ed throughout by a series of tun- nels, which serve as the home of a numerous colony of small black ants. Green ants are also exceedingly plen- tiful in the dense coastal scrub. They build their nests of varying sizes in the trees Ijy fastening together bunches of leaves, and as the colony grows more leaves are added to the structure. The building of the nest is a most interest- ing spectacle; a great many of the ants assemble along the edges of two green leaves which are close together, and reaching from one to the other, gradual- Iv laing their edges into contact. Other ants now bring some pupae from ancther nest, and pass them backwards and foi'wards from one edge of the held leaf to the other, at the same time pressing the pupae against each leaf. A white secretion oozes from the pupae, and t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
