wheeler: ants of the genus formica. 487 



Pubescence grayish, much shorter and sparser, especially on the 

 head and thorax. Hairs of the same color, but longer and more abun- 

 dant than in exsectoides, though restricted to the upper surface of the 

 thorax, praesternum, and tip of gaster. Eyes hairless. 



Head, including the mandibles and antennae, thorax, petiole, and 

 gaster of a deeper black than in exsectoides; legs and genital appen- 

 dages of a more reddish yellow, with the bases of the femora on the 

 flexor surface and the tips of genital valves blackish. Wings slightly 

 paler than in exsectoides. 



Host (Temporary). Probably F. fusca. 



Type locality. — South Dakota: Hill City (T. Ulke). 



Illinois: Chicago (M. C. Tanquary). 



Nova Scotia: Bedford, Port Maitland (W. Reiff); Middleton^ 

 Round Hill (Centr. Exper. Farms Coll.); Delhaven (Cornell Univ. 

 Coll.); Ship Harbor (S. Henshaw). 



New Brunswick: Fredericton (J. D. Tothill). 



The female and male are described from Nova Scotia and New 

 Brunswick specimens respectively. This species is evidently pecu- 

 liar to the Canadian fauna and so rare in the transition zone that 

 I have never had the good fortune to find one of its colonies. Mr. 

 J. D. Tothill, who has been studying its habits in New Brunswick, 

 has kindly given me photographs and a description of its nests. 

 These are flattened mounds, a foot or somewhat more in diameter, 

 made of earth and considerable vegetable detritus, and therefore 

 seem to be much more like the nests of exsecta than those of 

 exsectoides. In the coloration of the worker, the shape of its head, 

 the small size of the female and the sculpture of the male, uUcei also 

 approaches the European species, but its strongest morphological 

 affinities are nevertheless with exsectoides. 



71. F. ULKEi var. hebescens, var. no v. 



Worker. Length 4.5-6 mm. 



Differing from the typical form in sculpture and coloration. The 

 shagreening of the gaster is much sharper so that this region is sub- 

 opaque or only slightly shining. The anterior half of the head and 

 the thorax, petiole, and legs are more brownish red than in the typical 

 form, while the gaster and posterior half of the head are brown instead 

 of black, and the spots on the thorax are paler. 



Type locality. — Indiana: Bass Lake, Stark County (W. S.. 

 Blatchley). 



