384 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1880. 



in its operations upon the other section. It is doubtful if the 

 anomalous conditions thus raised by Dr. Darwin's explanation, 

 be not more difficult to explain than the original conditions to 

 which the hypothesis was applied. 



It is important to note the wide distribution of this insect across 

 the American Continent. During the summer of 1819, while 

 encamped in the Garden of the gods, studying the Honey and 

 Occidental Ants, a nest of Lucidus was discovered just inside my 

 tent door. Its gate was a simple opening into the ground, into 

 which both Lucidus and her slaves were frequently passing. 

 There was a similar opening under a small bush about three feet 

 distant. The slave, or worker, was here precisel}' the same, 

 Formica Schaiiffussi, which is found so often in the compound 

 nests of both F. sa^iguinea and Lucidus in the Eastern States. On 

 one occasion I captured a slave carrying a winged queen from one 

 opening to another. 



A comparison of a Lucidus taken at Bellwood, at the foot of the 

 Allegheny Mountains, Pennsylvania, with the Colorado specimens, 

 shows no difference except that the Pennsylvania example is 

 slightly more robust and of a somewhat darker color. The pecu- 

 liar uniform gloss which gives the American ant its specific or 

 varietal name, as distinguished from the duller color of the 

 European species, P. rufeftcens, marks equally the Eastern and 

 Western representatives. The European ant is decidedly smaller 

 than her American congener. The Colorado F. Schaujfussi is of 

 a more uniform and darker brown- color than the Allegheny 

 Mountain specimen. 



I have no specimens of Lucidus from points intermediate of the 

 localities above named, but no doubt the species is spread over the 

 whole of our Continent.' That it carries with it its characteristic 

 habits, even its favorite domestic servant and associate, and that 

 in these respects it exhi])its the habits of its closely allied congener 

 of Europe, affords another interesting point in the geographical 

 distribution of our insect fauna. 



' P. Tufescens of Europe has not yet been found in tlie warm plains of the 

 South of that Continent. (Catalogue Emory-Forel, p. 450, Mitth. d. 

 Schweizerischen Entomol. Gesellschaft. ) It would be a valuable contri- 

 bution to our knowledge of distribution were we to know whether or not 

 P. lucidus is found in our Southern States. We might venture the ano- 

 logical prediction from the above habit of its European congener, that it is 

 not found in the Gulf States. 



