160 Mr. J. H. Hart on 



in their figure, with unexplained inconsistency, they represent 

 only six. 



" Tanais (Paratanais?) brasiliensis" is described by Dana 

 as having the caudal stylets simple, six-jointed. But he 

 recognizes the chance of his having overlooked the outer 

 branch of the uropods and the likeness of the species to 

 K rover's Tanais dub/us. Sars accepts it as Leptochelia 

 brasiliensis. Yet, though it is probably the female of some 

 Leptochelia, specifically it remains indeterminate. 



The only other Paratanais described by Dana is Para- 

 tanais ehngatus from " the Sooloo Archipelago." This, 

 therefore, is the type, and it has the inner branch of the 

 uropods two-jointed, the outer one-jointed, whereas in this 

 genus, as redefined by Sars, each branch of the uropods has 

 two joints. Here also, perhaps, a slight modification of the 

 definition will suffice. 



XXIII. — Atta ((Ecodoma) cephalotes, Latr. : "The Soldier." 

 By J. H. Hart, F.L.S. 



In studying the various forms of the inhabitants contained in 

 a nest of the " Sauba " or " Parasol- Ant " I have observed : — 

 (1) males, (2) queens, (3) soldiers, (4) large workers, 

 (5) smaller workers, and (6) nurses. 



Lubbock gives only five classes — 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 — the 

 fourth and fifth of which he calls large workers, and states : — 

 " Bates never saw either of the last two kinds do any work at 

 all, and was not able to satisfy himself as to their functions. 

 They have also been called Soldiers, but this is obviously a 

 misnomer — at least they are said never to fight. Bates 

 suggests that they may serve in some sort as passive instru- 

 ments of protection to real workers. Their enormously large, 

 hard, and indestructible heads may be of use in protecting 

 them against the attacks of insectivorous animals. They 

 would be on this view pieces de resistance, serving as a foil 

 against onslaughts made on the main body of the workers." 



Lubbock then states * that he is not satisfied with this 

 solution, and thinks the true function of these large-headed 

 forms is not yet satisfactorily explained. 



I have personally had the advantage of studying the insect 

 both in Nicaragua and in 



* ' Ante, Bees, and Wasps.' 



