1915] Cocoons Among Ants 341 
reflect the light and heat and thus protect the ants’ body from 
the effects of excessive insolation. Even within the confines 
of some of our common North American species that have 
developed local races or varieties, we observe a lack of pubes- 
cence in the forms inhabiting moist, shady localities and a 
great increase in the density of the delicate hairs constituting 
the pubescence in the xerothermal forms. One example, the 
common circumpolar Formica fusca, must suffice. The typical 
form of this ant and its vars. gelida Wheeler, neorufibarbis 
Emery and subenescens Emery are found only in rather damp, 
shady places in the far north or at high elevations, and have 
very short, feebly developed pubescence, while the much more 
pubescent vars. neoclara Emery, marcida Wheeler and argentea 
Wheeler are peculiar to the xerothermal slopes of the Rocky and 
sierra Nevada Mountains. In even dryer and warmer localities 
these forms are replaced: by the still more pubescent vars. of 
F. cinerea culminating in the subsp. pilicornis Emery, in which 
even the eyes are pubescent. Formica fusca var. subsericea, 
which is intermediate between such forms as the typical fusca 
and the vars. of cinerea, is the form everywhere common in the 
Atlantic and Middle States, in open woods and pastures where 
there is a moderate amount of moisture and sunlight. In 
Eurasia a very similar series of varieties occurs in similar 
correspondence with moist, moderate and extremely xerothermal 
conditions. (F. fusca s. str. and the forms picea, gagates, 
glebaria and F. cinerea with several varieties). Many other 
examples of this peculiar increase of pubescence and pilosity 
in ants, with an increase in the aridity and insolation 
of their habitat might be cited, but a more exhaustive treat- 
ment of the subject would consume much time, and, I fear, 
prove to be rather wearisome to my readers. 
BIBLIOGRAPHY. 
1909. Bugnion, Ed—La Fourmi Rouge de Ceylan (Gicophylla smaragdina). Arch, 
Sei. Phys. et Nat. 1909, pp. 105-107, 3 Figs. 
1903. Chun, Carl—Aus den Tiefen des Weltmeeres, Jena, 1903. 
1773. Cook, Capt. James—Account of the voyages undertaken by Order of His 
Present Majesty for Making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, 
drawn up by John Hawkesworth. Vol. IIT. London, W. Strahan and 
ieCadelllii7 3: 
1902. Dodd, F. P.—Notes on the Queensland Green Tree Ants (Cicophylla 
smaragdina?). Victor. Natural. 18, 1902, pp. 186-140. 
1905. Doflein, F—Beobachtungen an den Weberameisen (Gicophylla smaragdina). 
Biol. Centraebl. 25, 1905, pp. 497-507, 5 figs. 
