i8 



WHEELER. 



[VoL. II. 



In the adult larva (Fig. 8, d) the tubercles are reduced to 

 large more or less flattened bosses, encircled with a regular 

 row of numerous, rather long bristles. In the stages between 

 those figured the gradual flattening of the juvenile spine-like 

 tubercles can be traced through the successive moults. 



In this series of larval forms, Odontomachus seems to repre- 

 sent the most primitive condition. Here both young and old 

 larvae have pointed, bristle-tipped tubercles, and there is little 



FIG. 7. Leptogenys (Lobopelta) elongata Buck, a, young; b, adult larva : c, head of adult 

 larva (dorsal aspect) ; d, tubercle of young ; e, tubercle of adult larva. 



difference between the tubercles of the young and adult. In 

 Leptogenys and Pachycondyla the apical bristle is absent, but 

 in both genera the young larvae have pointed tubercles. In the 

 adult larva of the former genus there is a perceptible blunting 

 of the tubercles, while in the adult larva of the latter the 

 tubercles have nearly subsided. 1 



1 Emery's observations on Ponera stigma, P. caffraria, and Diacamma geometri- 

 cttm, seem to indicate conditions the reverse of those which I have described. Of 

 the former species he says (loc. fit., p. 4) ; " Nello stado piu giovane, si vedono solo 

 deboli accenni del tubercoli cutanei ; ritengo che questo stado debba corrispondere 

 alle larve di prima schiusa e che lo stado seguente, di poco piu grande, sia quello 



