( V ) 



■which had recently been determined for him by Dr. Forel. 

 He also communicated the following notes on the subject : — 



"■ Mijniiiviirui siibcurindta, Sm." 



" This species is not uncommon in Bengal, and forms its 

 nests by excavating the earth round trees and throwing it up 

 in mounds ofjine grains on the side away from the trunk. 



" The sexes swarm early in the rains about July 7th to 

 10th. 



" There was a fine nest, or rather colony, at the big Banian- 

 tree in Barrackpore Park, near the trunk-road, which I have 

 known, from 1872 to 1886, fourteen years (and in all probability 

 it is there now) ; not only was the great main trunk more or 

 less encircled by these ditches, but a large proportion of the 

 minor stems were also surrounded by earth-works, many 

 being completely so. 



" These fosses also appeared to act as traps for various 

 insects which might fall off the tree and then have some 

 difficulty in getting out, as they are not unlike gigantic ant- 

 lion pits in their construction, only with the exception that 

 no lurking enemy lay concealed at the bottom, for I never 

 once detected Mi/rmicaria taking the least notice of its acci- 

 dental visitors or prisoners, for it is a mild and gentle ant 

 and not, I think, carnivorous. 



" No break occurred in the life of this colony for these 

 fourteen years, though in some the ants would be in much 

 greater numbers than others, and the earth-works more 

 extensive, but as a rule these fosses formed the largest and 

 most important ' (Oit-works ' that I have met with in India." 



" Aj)h(B)io(/fister [Messor) havharus, L. var. punctatns, Forel." 



" This ant, like the bee. Apis dorsata, seems to have a great 

 liking for the gardens and buildings of the old Mogul 

 Emperors, the bee disfiguring the arches and roofs with its 

 huge nests, and the ant frequenting the gardens and steps. 



"You can always find the ant in the beautiful gardens of 

 the Taj Mahal; also at Secundra and Itmad-ud-Daulah's 

 tomb at Agra. At Futtebpore Sikre (near Agra), under the 



