1849.] 201 



The circumstances attending the capture of these insects are thus stated by Dr. 

 Savage. 



"In the month of April, 1S47, 1 visited the mission of the Am. Board Com. For. 

 Miss., at Gaboon, 15' north of the equator. Walking out at 7 o'clock on a cloudy 

 morning, I saw a column of red drivers crossing the path. They consisted of 

 two lines, as is always the case, one going, the other returning to their domicil. 

 I stopped some time to compare them with the black species which abounds at 

 Cape Palmas and that part of the west coast generally. They were not as nume- 

 rous nor as large as arcens, but equally ferocious and offensive. Their arrange- 

 ments and movements were the same. I soon discovered within the lines the 

 large insects in question. I was here taken by surprise, as I had observed 

 nothing like them in the economy of the Black drivers. The first idea presented 

 to my mind was, that they were captives, but on observing further, they seemed 

 to be no unimportant members of the community. Within a distance of about 

 two rods I discovered ten of this class. I was soon convinced that they belonged 

 to the drivers, and proceeded to test the truth of the conclusion. I took one or 

 two from the lines to a distance of six and ten feet. They seemed at once to 

 miss their companions, and manifested great trepidation, and made continuous 

 efforts to find a way of return. At last they reached the lines and instantly re- 

 sumed their places, displaying at the same time decided gratification. Nor were 

 the lines thrown into any confusion by their entrance, as they would most surely 

 have been in case of a foreign insect or body. On further watching their motions, 

 I perceived that they did not continue on with the drivers, but after going a cer- 

 tain distance returned. This they repeated, going and returning. What office 

 they performed I could not discover. My time was limited, not permitting me 

 to trace them to their domicil. It was with regret that I left them ; but from 

 the observations made, it was evident that they were members of the driver com- 

 munity. I cannot doubt that they are the perfect state of the insect. Several 

 natives recognized them as insects that flew about, and into their houses at night. 

 This is altogether probable when they first attain their winged state. Similar 

 insects, closely allied to Dorylus, it is known, fly at night into houses at Cape 

 Palmas, undoubtedly bearing the same relation to arcens or the Black driver." 



The facts here stated are sufficient evidence that Anomma Shuckhard 1840, is 

 another condition of Dorylus Latr. 1802, which must take its place among the 

 Formic-idas, agreeably to the views of St. Fargeau. For the sake of convenient 

 reference, we may, with Dr. Savage, regard the larger form of the drivers 

 (Anomma) as soldiers, the intermediate ones as workers, and the smallest as 

 carriers . 



In the same manner, Shuckhard's view of the identity of Typhlopone with 

 Labidus is rendered probable, which would require the latter to be placed in the 

 Formic-idne, to which Mr. Westwood has shown that Typhlopone belongs. Thus 

 not only will Anomma and Typhlopone be superseded, but the supposed family 

 of the Dorylidae will be suppressed.* 



♦Typhlopone pallipes Ilald., 1844, Proceed. Acad. 2, 54, does not belong to 

 this gemus, but rather to Amblyopone Er., Arch. Naturg., 1842, p. 260, pi. 5, 

 fig. 7 : with the characters of which it agrees, except that the mandibles are 

 toothed from end to end, and the antennae are 12-articulate, instead of 11 as re- 

 quired by his text, although his figure represents 12. The eves are visible, 

 although small and indistinct. »>>*^^^^^^^'^^MU4 



28 



LlBRAR 



