130 FOEMICIDiE. 



distinct ; the inesonotuin .small, slightly sloping posteriorly ; meso- 

 inetanotal suture well marked : the basal ])ortion otthe metanotum 

 rectangular, sloping posteriorly, metanotal spines short and acute ; 

 apical portion of nietanotum more vertical, inclined at an angle to 

 the basal portion, smooth, slightly punctured. Pedicel iinely 

 rugulose above, the 1st joint flat above, not very wide, semi- 

 circular in front, with the lateral angles obtuse; 2nd joint above 

 longitudinally grooved, forming two rounded tubercles, with a 

 transverse i-ounded tubcn-cle at tlie a])ex ; abdomen broadly cordate. 



Lentjtli, 5 3-3-5 mm. 



Hah. Throughout India, exce])t iu the hot dry desert parts; 

 QQs\<y\\{Yerhm'ij)\ Assam (/S'»k/^/uVs) ; Jiurmaand Tenasserim (i^frt, 

 Bhuiliam, Jfo(h/so>i). 



Dr. Forel has separated as a race {C.suhnuda race rahula, u. st.) 

 a slightly more robustly built form, which however, so far as I 

 can make out, can barely be distinguished from typical C. suhnuda, 

 and in my opinion merges into that species through se^•eral 

 slightly varying intermediate forms. C. rahula, Forel, differs 

 chiefly in the shape of the 1st joint of the pedicel, which is 

 anteriorly straight or slightly laterally angular, but never semi- 

 circular. 



146. Cremastogaster contemta, Mmjr, Verh. zuol.-bot. Ges. Wien, 

 xxviii (1878), pp. 681 & 685, § . 



^ . iShining chestnut-red, abdomen darkening posteriorly into 

 dark brown, the base only being chestnut-red. Pilosity almost 

 entirely wanting; pubescence albescent, very tine, thin, short and 

 scattered, the intervals between the hairs somewhat even and 

 regular. Head very highly polished and shining, very globose and 

 strongly convex in front, but broader than long; mandibles very 

 finely longitudinally striate at base ; clypeus convex, its anterior 

 margin transverse and somewhat bent inuards ; eyes lateral, 

 prominent, rather broadly oval than round. Thorax : the pro- 

 notum convex anteriorly, with the lateral angles very prominent ; 

 mesonotum slightly oblique, longer than broad ; meso-metanotal 

 suture broad and very well marked, basal portion of metanotum 

 very short, passing by a curve hito the long apical portion, which 

 is oblique, steeply sloped ; metanotal spines stout, acute, curved a 

 little downwards and inwards, and placed on the sides a little 

 down the oblique sloping portion of the metanotum ; the whole 

 thorax and legs shining, the pro- and mesonotum rather closely 

 punctured, the extreme base of the mesonotum longitudinally 

 striate. Pedicel : the 1st joint widened, transversely concave and 

 with a small rounded tubercle at apex above ; 2nd joint short, 

 longitudinally furrowed, the furrow widening posteriorly ; abdomen 

 smooth, slightly shining. 



Length, $ 3-1-4-5 mm. 



Hah. Bengal {Bothnejj); Western India (WrottgJiton) : Ceylon 

 {Yerhury). 



