348 Mr. G. A. J. Eothney's notes 



to say that my Indian collections of Hymenoptera are 

 now in Mr. Cameron's able hands for description. 



Cam.ponotus compressus, Formica compressa, Fabr. The 

 Black Ant of India. 



This species is very common in Bengal, and can be 

 seen in numbers almost everywhere, but it becomes 

 comparatively rare as you get up-country to Oudh, the 

 North-west Provinces, and the Punjaub, where its place 

 seems to be taken by Myrmecoci/stus viaticns ; the two 

 species can be taken in the same locality, but as viaticus 

 becomes common, compressus is seen less frequently : 

 Benares, Agra, and Lahore are good illustrations of this. 

 Compressus is very common in Madras, and I have also 

 taken it in Bombay. The nests are formed in the earth 

 at a depth of several inches, generally under the shelter 

 of trees, and are very populous. The sexes swarm in 

 May or early June, and take flight as soon as the sun 

 goes down. Stray specimens of the sexes, however, 

 may be taken at light from the commencement of the 

 hot weather to the end of the rains (April to September). 

 The workers-major are very fierce and strong, and attack 

 when disturbed with the greatest courage ; if you allow 

 them to fasten on your hand they can draw blood with 

 ease, their strong mandibles cutting like a pair of nail- 

 scissors ; and when once they get a good hold, unless 

 you unlock their jaws, they will leave their heads fixed 

 in the wound rather than loosen their bull-dog grip. 



It is amusing to watch the havoc these big workers 

 will play with the white ants (Termites) whenever they 

 get the chance. Very probably the trunk of the tree 

 under which compressus has formed its colony will be 

 plastered with the covered ways of Termites ; take a 

 stick and uncover these, and compressus will immediately 

 rush in and carry off the soft helpless Termites to their 

 nest ; but they never have the sense or industry to open 

 up any of these prolific finds for themselves, even when 

 the key or start is given them, although with their 

 immense strength they could very easily do so. 



It is a very common occurrence to find evidence of 

 deadly family feuds between these warriors, such as two 

 lying dead, locked together, and another walking about 

 with a big head fixed to a leg or antenna : but of many 



