158 NOTES ON QUEENSLAND ANTS, 
most conspicuous on the abdomen, and depressed hairs on 
antenne and legs. Mandibles, with a few hairs on the 
outer surface, longitudinally wrinkled at the base. Head 
closely and finely reticulate-punctate, with longitudinal 
wrinkles. Clypeus longitudinally wrinkled. Scape 
scarcely reaching, and not exceeding, posterior margin of 
head. Thorax closely and finely punctate, without meso- 
thoracic impression, pro- and meso-notnm with reticulate 
wrinkles; a short excrescense sometimes present on the 
sides of the disc; metanotum with two conspicuous 
spines. Petiole closely punctate, lst node emarginate 
above, 2nd node swollen with pyramidal sides. Abdomen 
smooth. 
Judging only from the description given by Dr. Mayr [“‘ Die 
Australischen Formiciden,” Journ. des Mus. Godf. Heft XII., 
p. 106, Hamburg, 1876,] this species of Pheidole seems to most 
nearly approach his P. longiceps. Compared with other 
examples of the genus found in the vicinity of Brisbane, its 
colour will at once distinguish it amongst them, as well, perhaps, 
as the great disparity in the sizes of the two classes of workers, 
and the excessive development of the head amongst the workers 
major. 
MERANOPLUS. 
Recently in an examination of some invertibrates brought by 
Mr. F. Blackman, from the neighbourhood west of Rockhamp- 
ton, some ants were noticed belonging to a genus known to in- 
clude harvesting species, which explained, as was then surmised, 
and as was afterwards proved, the occurrence also in the col- 
lection of a box containing a quantity of the empty glumes of a 
grass belonging to the genus Andropogon. 
These ants were much larger than the ones which are above 
mentioned as occurring at Brisbane, and were only represented 
in the examples procured by workers, of one description, and 
male insects. Concerning these ants and their habits, and in 
reply to a series of interrogations, Mr. Blackman informs me, 
to the following effect :— 
The ants in question were found at Barwon Park, near 
Blackwater, and nearly one hundred miles to the west 
