(Paaje 98) 

 II. 257; Muls. et Rey Bre'vlp. 1873, 61; ianglb. Kaf. M. II, 124). 



Our smallest species, easily identified ty the color and by the short, 

 broad pronotum. 



Black; elytra most often brownish Liacic^ and posterior margins of the 

 abdominal joints narrowly reddish-brown; antennae reddish-brown, their base, 

 mouth-parts and legs brownish red. 



The forebody is very finely and densely punctated, very finely haired, 

 with moderate silky or greasy gloss; antennae increasingly strongly thick- 

 ened distally, their next-last joints at least twice as broad as long, the 

 distal joint as long as the two preceding joints together. Pronotum is short, 

 and broad, twice as broad as long, across the middle as broad as elytra, 

 with smoothly rounded sides and rounded off hind corners; elytra very little 

 longer than pronotum; abdomen glistening, along posterior margins of the 

 individual dorsal joints sparsely and finely punctated, elsewhere smooth. 

 L. 3.5-4 mm. 



In the 5^ the forehead is flatly: depressed , pronotum with densely and 

 finely shagreened surface, dully shining, with a feeble, broad longitudinal 

 impression at middle, occasionally slightly grooved in middle-line; poster- 

 ior margin of the sixth free dorsal joint of abdomen very finely serrated 

 at the edge;- (Page 99) 



It is distributed with the ant/ lasius fuliginosus , and is often lound 

 numerously around the ant hill, together with several of the preceding spe- 

 cies. 



21. jenus Astllbus Steph. 



(Steph. 111. brit. fcnt. V, 1832. 1C6; Ihoms. Skand. Col. II. 259; ^anglb, 



-156- 



