XXXIV INTRODUCTION. 
furnished with a fringe-work of strong 
hair, cutregularly. This constitutes the 
brush which the insect: employs when 
cleaning its antennz, head, and corslet; 
it has also other uses, but to these I shall 
allude on another occasion. 
The vertical seale is heart-shaped, with 
the point turned downwards. It is tra- 
versed at its origin by the abdominal 
fillet; its form varies, and it furnishes 
very distinct characters. Latreille re- 
marks that it is provided with two 
stigmee, which are situated at its base on 
the posterior side. 
The abdomen or belly of the ant is 
always larger than the corslet, of an oval 
form, swoln, and more or less pointed at 
the posterior extremity. It 1s composed 
of demi-rings, which are of a horny sub- 
stance ; the superior are connected with 
the inferior by means of a flexible mem- 
brane, which allows of their separation 
and approximation at will. It is easy to 
notice this when the insect has taken a 
full meal, since each of these horny pieces 
