NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 445 



upper lobes prolonged somewhat like those of Q. falcata. Like the water 

 and willow-oaks, its leaves are green during the first of winter. Acorn about 

 1 inch long, and J J inch broad. Leaves 4-8 inches long by 3-5 wide. A 

 beautiful tree, with dense, deep green foliage. Wood close-grained, white, or 

 of a light red color, and used for similar purposes as the Shumard Oak. 



Quercus Durandii. Leaves obovate, entire, or slightly 3-lobed at apex, 

 with rudiments of one or more lobes at the margins, lobes very obtuse. When 

 mature, smooth on both sides. Acorn round, or ovoid rotund. Cup very 

 shallow, scales acute, closely appressed. Leaves 3^ inches long, 1-2 inches 

 wide. Acorns ->- | inch long, about h inch wide, scarcely one-eighth of an inch 

 being included in the cup. Tree 2-3 feet in diameter, and 40-50 feet high, 

 bark of trunk, and branches light gray, scaly, resembling the white oak 

 (Q. Alba). The leaves are mostly entire, varying from obovate to oblong- 

 ovate. Wood white, close-grained, and very tough. It is often worked into 

 splints for baskets to hold the picked cotton. Used for farming utensils, and 

 sought after to make screws for cotton gins. Called "Basket Oak," and 

 ^'Bastard White Oak." 



Wilcox County, Alabama, Upper Louisiana, and Middle and Southern 

 Texas. Durand's Oak. In honor of E. Durand, of Philadelphia. 



Quercus annulata. Leaves broad-ovate, entire or irregularly and 

 sparingly lobed, sinuses shallow, divergent lobes very obtuse, upper surface 

 smooth and bright green, under surface pale, smooth, or subpubescent, petioles 

 short. Acorn oblong-ovoid, with a depressed ring near the apex. Style 

 cylindrical, long, truncate, cup shallow, one-third the length of the acorn. 

 Acorn 5-9 lines long, and 3-4 lines broad. Leaves 2-4 inches long, mostly 

 lobed. Bark of trunk and branches light gray, scaly. Small tree or shrub, 

 bearing a great abundance of acorns. 



Common on the rocky limestone hills in the vicinity of Austin, Texas. 



Note on Quercia coccinea. 



In Upper Louisiana and in Eastern Texas, last autumn, I often found 

 Q. coccinea with acorns depressed at the summit and leaves agreeing exactly 

 with Michaux's figure of that species, the accuracy of which has been questioned 

 by some boanists. It had not the scarlet leaves after frost which is said to 

 be characteristic of that species. Its bark is a dark gray or slate color, deeply 

 furrowed, and wood porous, of a reddish cast, and esteemed of little use. 



Myrnr.ca (Atta) molefaciens, "Stinging Ant," or "Mound-Making Ant," of 



Texas. 



BY S. B. BUCKLEY. 



Neuter. Color reddish-brown, labium brownish-black, mandibles subfalcate 

 serrate, triangular, blackish-brown. Antennae two-jointed, the anterior joint 

 clavate, hairy, head disproportionately large, upper side rotund, occiput 

 truncate, under side of head longitudinally concave, with a dark line extending 

 along the middle of the cavity, mentum somewhat hairy, eyes black, thorax 

 triangular, compressed, prothorax large, with a slight knot on the upper part 

 of each side, metathorax upper side two-spined, pedicle long, two-knotted, 

 anterior knot inclined forwards, legs long, slender, tarsi two-clawed, abdomen 

 smooth, smaller than the head, ovate, slightly hairy near the sting. Female 

 has head like the neuter, excepting its front is slightly hooded, thorax oval, 

 or rhomboidal in outline, knotted, compressed, slightly hairy, metathorax has 

 rudimentary spines, abdomen ovate, smooth on the upper part, with a few 

 scattering hairs on the under side. Wings not extending beyond the abdomen. 



These ants are the most numerous of any in Texas, where they have frequent 



I860.] 31 



