626 New Species of Myrmica. 



Art. XI. — Description of a new Species of Myrmica which has been 

 found in houses both in the Metropolis and Provinces. By W. E. 

 Shuckard, Esq.,Vice Presid. Entom. Soc, Librarian of the Royal 

 Society. 



When Dr. Bostock's paper was read at the Entomological 

 Society in November, 1836,* I was referred to for the name 

 of the species of ant which was therein described as having 

 infested his house, to his own and his family's great annoy- 

 ance ; and which had also been found in many other houses 

 and warehouses, in the metropolis and provinces. I consi- 

 dered it with doubt to be the Myrmica unifasciata, Latr., 

 and which I stated to have found occasionally in winter, in 

 a winged state, in moss in woods ; which led the President 

 to suspect that it might have been brought into dwelling- 

 houses, where it has since remained, with the fire-wood usu- 

 ally consumed. Since this occurred I have been led to the 

 investigation of the insect, by another and very distinct spe- 

 cies having been communicated to me, and I find that both 

 are extremely distinct from the Myr. unifasciata, Latr., and 

 that both are most probably of exotic and West Indian origin. 

 The species which led me back to the subject was found in 

 a hot-house in Chelsea, and has doubtlessly been imported 

 with plants ; but whether it still continues to be found, and 

 has located itself permanently, I do not not know, — the speci- 

 mens I have being all neuter. That the domestic one will 

 continue with us I think may be concluded from its very wide 

 dissemination, and the difficulty of extirpating it; as Dr. 

 Bostock has most amply proved by the very expensive expe- 

 riments he had recourse to, and which but few individuals 

 would voluntarily undertake. The Myr. unifasciata is indi- 

 genous, and has hitherto occurred only at large in the country. 

 The following descriptions will serve to discriminate the 

 species. 



MYRMICA, Latr. 

 * Metathorax armed with two spines. 

 Myr. unifasciata, Latr. 



Formica unifasciata, Latr., Hist. Nat. des Fourmis. P. 237. 



Dilute ferruginea; metathorace postice bispinoso ; abdomine luteo-fer- 

 rugineo, fascia nigra transversa. 



Length, Fern. 2 lines. Neut. H line. 



The male I am unacquainted with. 



*See 'Ent. Trans.' vol. ii. p. 65, and 'Journal of Proceedings,' vol. ii. p. 29. 



