4 THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



scabrinodis lives frequently in the same hillock as L. flams. White-^ 

 mentions finding M. scabrinodis in one half of a L. flatus nest, and 

 under the same stone. Donisthorpe""^ records similar instances in the 

 Isle of Wight. This year Fryer sent me specimens of the IShirmica 

 from a colony situated on the top of a large L. flavus mound 1ft. 4in. 

 high at Woodington Wood. M. sidcinodis and M. lobicornis have 

 smaller colonies, they are more local, and fewer nests occur in the same 

 area. 



The habits of some of our species are evidently different from what 

 they are in Switzerland. Forel'-^ says that M. scabrinodis nearly 

 always occurs in dry arid regions, M. sulcinodis is exclusively an alpine 

 species and ^1/. lobicornis chiefly so. M. scabrinodis often occurs in 

 very wet places with us. Bouskell sent me several nests from Kerry, 

 which occurred in the bogs, and were all but covered with water, M. 

 sulcinodis and M. lobicornis, as will be seen, occur in Surrey and other 

 parts in the south of England. As an instance of tenacity of life I 

 may mention a specimen of M. rui/inodis which C. Best Gardner had 

 in his possession this year, which lived without a head for 21 or 22 

 days. This is not quite a record for an ant, as Miss Fielde'-' kept a 

 decapitated Camponotus pennsylranicus for 41 days, which walked 

 about until two days before its death. 



As the identification of species of this genus appears to present 

 considerable difficulty, and as I am constantly having specimens sent 

 to me to name, I have worked out a table which I hope will enable 

 beginners to name these insects more easily. I may mention that I 

 have looked up all Nylander's original descriptions, to satisfy myself 

 that his species are correctly recognised. 



<? 



1. ( Scape of antennae less than half the length of the funiculus = scabrinodis. 



I Scape of antennae not less than half the length of the funiculus - - - 2 



2. I Scape of antennse abruptly bent at base = lobicornis. 



(1) I Scape of antennae evenly rounded ------------3 



3. f Frontal area longitudinally striate = sulcinodis. 



(2) "j Frontal area not striate ---------------4 



4. f Posterior tibiae with long suberect hairs = laevinodis. 



(3) (Posterior tibiae with short decumbent hairs _ _ - - = ruginodis. 



? and ^ 



1. f Scape of antennae abruptly bent at base 2 



( Scape of antennte evenly curved -------------4 



2. f Scape of antenna- ridged or toothed 3 



(1) ( Scape of antennae not ridged nor toothed ----- = sulcinodis. 



3. f Scape of antennae with strong transverse ridge at bend . . = lobicornis. 



(2) \ Scape of antennaj with more or less developed lateral tooth 



( at bend ------------ = scabrinodis. 



4. j Epinotal spines longer than their basal width, transversely 

 striate between = ruginodis. 



(1) ] Epinotal spines not longer than their basal width, smooth 



between ------------ = laevinodis. 



22 I.e., p. 240. 



23 Ent. Rec, 1902, p. 16. 

 2-1 I.e. 



2- Biol. Bull., vii., 1904, p. 301. 



