The Aculeate ITymenoj^fera of Barrachpore. Ill 



Camponotus comprcssus, Fab. — The BLack Ant. Very 

 common ; nests in the earth ; swarms in May or early 

 June. 



Pol ijrliachis lajvissima, Smith. — Nests in the decayed 

 wood of trees. Swarms June loth to July 7th. 



Polyrliachis thrincix, Roger. — Xest formed by binding- 

 together one or two leaves with a few silken threads ; 

 very small communities. 



FoIi/rhacJiis simpleo:, Mayr. ; P. spinigera, Mayr. — Nests 

 formed by web-work binding together a few twigs of a spiny 

 shrub. 



CErophyUa smarcajdina, Fab. — Common in the Park and 

 along the trunk-road ; nests in trees ; sexes in the rains. 

 The name gives a wrong impression of the colour, the 

 $, which is seldom seen, alone answering the description ; 

 the workers, which may be seen in thousands, being a 

 brilliant gamboge yellow. 



In " Notes on Indian Ants," Trans. Entoni. Soc. 1889, 

 III., and 1895, II., I have described the habits of many of 

 the Barrackpore species more fully. 



FOSSORES. 



MutWa. — The species of this genus are never found in 

 any numbers (except perhaps tlie males of scxmacida.ta) ; 

 single specimens may be picked up anywhere, but the only 

 spot where you could start out collecting with some 

 certainty of finding them was Monirampore, where the 

 heaps of white sand used for the filter-beds of the water- 

 works (and which in carting was scattered about the paths 

 and roads leading to the grounds) formed a great attraction 

 for these sun- and sand-loving insects. The waterworks 

 are quite of modern date, and it seems very curious that 

 imported sand should in a few years have proved an 

 attraction sufficient to estabhsh a known locality or resort. 

 How can the slow-moving $ Mutilla discover that sand is 

 to be found within the restricted area (a few acres) of the 

 Monirampore compound ? 



The courting of the sexes of scxmaculafa may occasionally 

 be watched on the leaf of a tree or shrub in some secluded 

 spot, and in its phases is almost ludicrous. The ^ will 

 caress, coax, and pet bis lady-love for hours together (the 

 antenna; being the chief means of conveying or expressing 

 his feelings) ; at last, losing all patience, he will take her 



