FORMICID.E. 25 



5 very like that of umhratus but generally smaller, 

 and always without exserted tibial hairs ; from race mixtus it 

 can only be distinguished by the shorter scale of the petiole 

 which is widest above, and usually by its less hairy surface. 



L. cJ 3-5 mm., ? 7-8 mm., 5 2-4 mm. 



Very common and generally distributed, makes its uests 

 under stones or in hillocks. Swarms in August. 



L. niger, it»n, (race, alienus Forst.) — S and ? exceed- 

 ingly hke jlavus, but the (J has a distinct deep narrow channel 

 extending from the central ocellus to between the antenna?, 

 and both sexes have the wings entirely clear and hyaline, 

 tibia3 of the ? in the typical form with exserted hairs. 



5 differs from either of the preceding by its brown colour, 

 which although often pale, never becomes flavous, and by 

 having at least traces of ocelli. 



L. c? 3-5 mm., ? 7-8 mm., 5 2-4 mm. 



Eace alienus only differs in having the tibife without ex- 

 serted hairs, and in the ? by having the costal area infus- 

 cate. 



This, which is our common garden ant, makes its galleries 

 underground or more rarely in decaying wood j met with 

 rarely in houses ; swarms in July and August. 



PRENOLEPIS, :Mayr. 



Of this genus we have only one British representative, of 

 which only a single 5 has been discovered. The c? and ? 

 are exceedingly rare on the Continent; and the $ only 

 occasionally met with. It may be known from either of 

 the preceding genera by the absence of the erect scale of 

 the petiole, and from Tapinoma by the scarcely emarginato 

 anterior margin of its clypeus; very little is known of the 

 habits of this genus. 



P. nitens, Mnyr. {Tapinoma polifa Smith.) — "? rufo- 

 testaceous, smooth and shining ; head elongate, with a few 

 scattered long hairs, and slightly emarginate behind ; the 

 scape as long as the head ; the liagcllum about the same 



