156 Psyche [October 
to the east, through the deserts of New Mexico and Texas, than 
the other subspecies of californicus, and usually occurs at greater 
elevations. Its nests are very similar, being flat craters in sand, 
with sloping central or eccentric entrances. 
7. Pogonomyrmex subnitidus Emery. 
If I am correct in my identification, thisform is not asubspecies of 
P. occidentalis Cresson, as E:mery supposed, but a distinct species. 
Emery’s description is unfortunately very brief, but I believe that 
it refers to a form which I found nesting in the vicinity of Pasa- 
dena, California, both in the higher portions of the Arroyo Seco and 
on the summit of Mt. Lowe (6400 ft.). I have also received a 
series of workers of the same form from Mr. J. C. Bradley, who 
took them in Los Gatos Canyon of the Diablo Range in the same 
state. The nests are like those of californicus and therefore en- 
tirely unlike the nests of occidentalis. The sculpture of the head, 
thorax and pedicel of the worker, moreover, is very much like 
that of the true californicus, but the epinotum is armed with two 
slender, pointed spines, which are longer than in occidentalis. 
8. Pogonomyrmex comanche Wheeler. 
This form, which was also originally described as a subspecies 
of occidentalis, must now be regarded as an independent species. 
In the worker comanche the thoracic dorsum is distinctly more 
rounded and arched in profile than in the worker oceidentalis and 
the epinotal spines are longer both in the worker and female, but 
especially in the latter. There is also a great difference in the 
mandibles of the males of the two species, the blade in the male 
occidentalis being moderately broad with oblique apical border 
bearing 5 or 6 teeth, whereas in comanche it is narrow and more 
curved and its apical border is transverse and only 3—4-toothed. 
The epinotum of the male comanche bears a pair of small teeth, 
which are represented by tubercles in occidentalis. The greatest 
difference between the two species, however, is seen in the habits 
and distribution, comanche living at low levels in pure sand, where 
it makes rather small, flat crater nests very much like those of cali- 
fornicus, whereas occidentalis lives at elevations over 6,000 feet, 
and constructs large gravel cones with basal entrance and sur- 
rounded by a clearing. The colonies of the latter species are also 
much more populous. The types of comanche were taken in the 
