I 70 HYMENOPTERA 



ants ; tlie abdoinen consists almost entirely of one very large seg- 

 ment, there being, however, three others visible at its extremity ; 

 these segments can be only slightly protruded, and the ants have 

 no power of stinging. They are prol)ably most of them arboreal 

 in their habits. Nearly all of tlie known forms are exotic. 

 According to the observations of Bates the species of the genus 



Cryptocern?. in the Amazons Valley 

 may frequently be observed in dry 

 open places on low trees and bushes, 

 or running on branches of newly felled 

 trees ; tliey also visit flowers abund- 

 antly. The species generally are 

 wood-borers, usually perforating the 

 dead branches of trees. C. atratus has 

 been observed to construct its nests 

 in the dead, suspended branches of 

 woody climl)ers : a number of neatly 

 "''";-„£,- :irir"Th'f»»: drilled holes „re^ all that can be seen 

 pressed first joint of the hind externally ; 1)ut, iiiside, the wood is 



foot is shown at a and ^ in p , [• 1 ^ • ^ i ■ j 



different positions. f^'^ely perforated with intercommuni- 



cating galleries. Each community 

 appears to consist of a single female and two kinds of workers ; 

 the latter in some species are cpiite unlike each other, differing 

 in the form of the head, and in the armature of the thorax and 

 nodes of the peduncle. The species of Cnjptocerus appear to be 

 onmivorous, and are frequently attracted by the excrement of birds. 

 The pupae are not enclosed in a cocoon. In the South of Europe 

 two very minute ants, of the genera Strnmigeny>i and ]^2^itrit'us, 

 belonging to this family, are met with under very large stones 

 partly emljcdded in the eartli. They are of the greatest rarit}'. 



Sub-fam. 4. Ponerides. — Hind hody elongate,/ urnislied ivitli- one 

 nude at the hasr, and- having also great capacity of movement 

 letweev. the first arul second segments, between tahicJo there is 

 'iisnally a sligjit constriction. Sting iccll developed. 



This sub-famih' includes numerous genera and about 400 

 species. The Ponerides have an elongate hind-body ; the second 

 segment behind the node is capable of great movement in and out 

 t)f the preceding segment, and for tliis purpose is furnished with 

 a basal portion slightly more slender than the apical part ; this 



