NOTES ON INDIAN ANTS. 63 



LohopvUo chinenais, Mayr. 



A common ant in Bengal, but only found in small numbers at a 

 time, sometimes only single specimens, and generally crawling about 

 drains or damp shady ground. 



Meranoplus hico/or, Smith. 



This pretty little species is common in Bengal, although you only 

 find it sparingly as to numbers; it forms its nests in the earth at a 

 depth of a few inches, and these seldom contain more than twenty to 

 thirty individuals, I have only once found the winged sexes in the 

 nest, viz,, in May, 1873, in the Eden Gardens, Calcutta, when I took 

 one female and several males (as described and figured in Frederick 

 Smith's paper in the 'Entomological Transactions' of March, 1875). 

 I have since taken one or two specimens of the female, but always 

 singly. The workers walk about singly or a few together, and very 

 much resemble, both in appearance and habits, the females of some 

 of the small species of Mutilla ; indeed, I have at times captured a 

 worker of rather above the average size, thinking I had something 

 new in that genus. 



Plagiolepis gracilipes, Smith. 



Query also Hypoclinea gracilipes, Mayr. 



This ant is common in Bengal, and can generally be found run- 

 ning about between the stems of the smaller species of bamboo, or 

 behind jaffri (trellis-work), and similar shady situations. The workers 

 are very active, and always seem busy carrying about various species 

 of insects. I have some specimens before me taken with a species of 

 Pediopm (Homopteron) and Nysms (Hemipteron), which appear to 

 form a very favourite form of capture. 



Aphcemgaster. 

 There are two species of this ant, which are not uncommon in 

 Barrackpore Park in the hot weather ; they form their nests in the 

 dried-up grass-covered ground of the open and most exposed positions. 

 One species covers the entrances to its nest with the fallen leaves 

 of the tamarind, acacia, and a thorny shrub like the babool. The 

 other makes tiny mounds of the little pink and blue flowers of a weed 

 that grows amongst the grass ; these little mounds, about the diameter 



