NOTES ON HYMENOPTERA. 59 



to the circumstances under ^Yhich they take place ; frequently 

 we observe the same ends arrived at by a totally different 

 process of development. 



Myrmica lippula. — This minute ant appears to be a 

 constant resident in the nests of other species, at least in this 

 country ; whether it is found invariably in such situations 

 throughout Europe, I am not prepared to say, but I have 

 never found it separated from other ants. Mr. Janson, 

 and also Mr. Shepherd, find it in nests of Formica fidl- 

 ginosa. I have also myself found it in company with the 

 same species, but sparingly. In May last it occurred in some 

 numbers in ants' nests near Highgate, but I have only been 

 successful in taking workers; the only examples I have ever 

 obtained of the other sexes are two females ; one was taken 

 on the wing in October, and the other on a Christmas Day, 

 some years ago. I am inclined to believe that M. lippula 

 never constructs its own nest, but resides constantly with 

 species of Formicidce ; 31. j^ylandevi and J/, muscorum, 

 I am informed by Dr. Xylander, constantly reside in nests 

 of Formica rvfii, our common wood-ant. 



Myrmica molesta. — In my former communications to 

 the Annual, I have had frequent occasion to refer to the 

 common house-ant, Myrmica molesta of Say, the Myrmica 

 domestica of Shuckard. In a paper published in the '* Ber- 

 liner Entomologische Zeitschrift, 1862," Dv, Roger has 

 changed the name, referring the species to the F. Pliaraonis 

 of Linnaeus ; he at the same time attempts to prove that our 

 house-ant cannot be the house-ant of North America. In 

 the pi'efatory remarks to Dr. Roger's paper, I am said to be 

 an author who has a love for giving my own names to the 

 well-established species of older authors ) to this charge I at 



