66 Bibliographical Notices. 



take dead animal matter. It is also occasionally found in the 

 train of caterpillars feeding on leaves. It makes large excava- 

 tions underground, generally having the entrance round the 

 trunk of a tree, and it forms considerable heaps of fine earth 

 round the mouth of the nest. It runs, unlike the last species, 

 with its abdomen turned downwards under the abdominal pedi- 

 cles. It appears to form the type of a very distinct group from 

 the last. 



22. Myrmica? tarda, Jerdon (p. 115). 



Worker, length ^th of an inch ; head somewhat triangular, 

 square behind, of same width as thorax ; eyes rather small, quite 

 lateral, somewhat posterior ; antennae short, thick, inserted near 

 the mouth ; thorax short, square, ending in two spines on each 

 side, it and the head rough and shagreened ; abdominal pedicles 

 much raised, long, narrow; abdomen triangular, also shagreened; 

 head, thorax, legs and abdominal pedicles brick-red ; abdomen 

 dusky, dark blue. This is a very curious-looking ant. It lives 

 in holes in the ground in small societies, and feeds on vegetable 

 secretions. It moves very slowly. It is found both in the Car- 

 natic and Malabar. 



23. Myrmica ? caca, Jerdon (p. 116). 



Worker, length jth of an inch ; head somewhat oval, rather 

 small ; no eyes ; antennae short, thick, inserted near the mouth ; 

 an oblique groove on each side of forehead for the insertion of the 

 antennae ; jaws triangular, hooked at the tip, and finely serrated ; 

 thorax narrow, of uniform width, granulose, with an elevation 

 posteriorly ending in two small spines ; abdominal pedicles 

 raised, rounded, pointed backwards, the first the highest ; abdo- 

 men long, oval ; head, thorax and legs reddish brown ; abdomen 

 glossy brown. 



I found this curious ant only once, under a stone in the 

 Wynaad. 



[To be continued.] 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



The Palm Trees of the Amazon and their Uses, By A. R. Wallace. 

 With 48 Plates. London : Van Voorst, 1853. 



We beg most strongly to recommend this book, as one that will not 

 interest the botanist alone, but give pleasure to unbotanical readers. 



It must be looked upon as a highly valuable companion to the 

 great work on Palms by Martins, supplying to us a very clear idea 

 of the general appearance of the palm- trees. Being the work of a 

 professed and excellent naturalist, it is quite trustworthy even in the 



