106 Mr. T. C. Jerdon on new species of Ants 



narrowed anteriorly ; jaws rough, triangular, strongly toothed ; 

 eyes large, posterior; pro thorax wide, metathorax narrowed ; 

 post-thorax in the form of a rounded narrow platform, ending 

 in two points, and truncated ; abdominal pedicle blunt, rounded, 

 raised ; abdomen short, oval ; antennae rufous ; head and thorax 

 dull greenish black, shagreened; abdomen shining glaucous 

 green ; legs shining black. 



I have found this ant on flowers in Malabar,'but have never 

 seen its nest ; it is not a very common species. 



«f 38. Formica cinerascens, Fabr. (p. 123). 



Worker, length f ths of an inch ; head large ; eyes rather 

 small, posterior; jaws strongly toothed; thorax wide in front, 

 narrowed behind with two glands on each side above ; abdominal 

 pedicle elevated, conic ; abdomen oval ; colour dull black, except 

 the abdomen, which is glaucous green, and somewhat pubescent. 

 Female ^ an inch long nearly ; head smaller ; thorax not so wide ; 

 abdomen long, oval ; wings not reaching to the end of the ab- 

 domen. 



Male, Y^2"*^^ 0^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^S } similar in form to the female, 

 but with much narrower abdomen, and head still smaller pro- 

 portionally. Warrior, Y'^ths of an inch long ; head large ; an- 

 tennae short ; eyes minute. 



This species lives in the ground in small societies. I have 

 only seen it in the Carnatic. It is described as having the head 

 fulvous, and a triangular spot on the abdomen ; but as it is said 

 by Fabricius to have been sent from Tranquebar, in the vicinity 

 of which I have seen our present species, I think they are pro- 

 bably identical, and that the difference of colour is accidental, 

 especially as there are only two species common in the Carnatic 

 with glaucous abdomen, this and our F. rufoglauca. 



, ^ , ,, :^ 39. Formica velox, Jerdon (p. 124). 



Worker, length /^ths of an inch to /^ths ; head long, ob- 

 long; eyes posterior, large; jaws strongly toothed; antennae 

 long; thorax smooth ; abdominal pedicle raised, somewhat 

 rounded, wide above ; abdomen with the divisions of the seg- 

 ments strongly marked; legs long; colour dull blackish, with 

 the abdomen greenish pubescent. 



This ant is very common in Malabar, and I think is also found 

 in the Carnatic. It frequents flowers, especially delighting in 

 those that have great quantities of pollen, such as the Cucurhi- 

 tacecBj Hibisci, &c. It runs very speedily, and is very easily 

 alarmed, dropping to the ground on being touched. I have not 

 succeeded in finding its nest. 



