wheeler; ants of the genus formica. 503 



and the clear wings of the male and female, is very widely distributed. 

 It evidently belongs to the colder portions of the transition zone 

 and is common in the mountains of the western part of the country 

 between elevations of 7,000 and 11,000 ft., but more sporadic in 

 the Eastern States. It nests in the sand dunes and along the beaches 

 of the New England coast but seems to be rather local. 



86. F. FUSCA FuscA var. marcida, var. nov. 



Worker. Length 2.5-4.5 mm. 



Closely allied to the typical fusca but averaging smaller. The 

 sculpture and pubescence are much as in fusca. Body subopaque. 

 Hairs very sparse and short. Body dark reddish brown, head and 

 gaster blackish, sutures of thorax reddish or j^ellowish, mandibles, 

 antennae, and legs pale yellowish brown, tips of funiculi and middle 

 portions of femora somewhat darker. 



Female (dealated) . Length 7-8 mm. 



Like the female of the typical fusca but smaller ; gaster and upper 

 surface of thorax nearly as smooth and shining, with sparse pubescence. 

 Body blackish brown, mandibles, legs, scapes, and bases of funiculi 

 brownish yellow. 



Type locality. — British Columbia : Prairie Hills, Selkirk Moun- 

 tains (J. C. Bradley). 



British Columbia: Howser, Golden, Carbonate, 2,600 ft. and Mo- 

 raine Lake (J. C. Bradley); Golden (W. Wenman). 



Alberta: Banff (N. B. Sanson). 



Manitoba: Aweme (Jas. Fletcher). 



Washington: Ellensburg, Kiona (W. M. Mann); Brinnon, Hood 

 Canal (J. C. Bradley). 



Described from nine dealated females and numerous workers. 

 This variety, at first sight, resembles the European glebaria, but it is 

 smaller and the female has a smooth, shining gaster and thoracic 

 dorsum like the female of the typical fusca. The workers of some 

 colonies are almost indistinguishable from the typical fusca, others 

 are as clearly transitional to the varieties gelida and argentea. 



A note by Mr. Bradley accompanying the specimens from Moraine 

 Lake states that they "were gathered under a stone from which the 

 snow had recently receded. The workers are quick and agile and 

 hide under the stones and in moss. Quite a number of nests were 

 found at about timber-line." These remarks indicate that marcida 

 is an alpine variety like gelida. 



