BRITISH ANTS. 



side between the scutellum and the metanotum lies the post- 

 scutellum, or paraptera of the metathorax. The coxa of the hind- 

 leg is articulated to the metasternum, and the ventral portion of 

 the metathorax is divided into areas as in the mesothorax, viz. the 

 epimeron, the episternite and the sternite. The hind-wing is inserted 

 between the post-scutellum and the epimeron of the metathorax. 

 The epinotum, which is really the first abdominal segment, is 

 bordered by the epimera of the metathorax above, and the sternites 

 of the metathorax below. 



Three stigmata, or spiracles (orifices of tracheae) occur on either 

 side of the thorax, the first close to the junction between the meso- 

 thorax and pronotum, the second below the insertion of the hind- 

 wing, and the third on the epinotum. 



Parapsis 



Tfigula 



Fore- wing 



Hind-wins 



Post-scutellum 



Pronotum 

 Mayrian furrow 



Prae-scutellum 



Scutellum 

 Metanotum 



Epinotum 



Petiole 

 Fig. 7. Thorax of Formica pratensis <$. 



The thorax in the males and females of most ants is generally 

 more simple than in this primitive form on account of the fusion 

 of the epimera and episterna with each other, and also with meso- 

 and inetathorax, and epinotum. 



The female thorax has the same divisions as the male, but is 

 more robust and the Mayrian furrows are never present. In the 

 workers, being wingless, the meso- and metathorax are greatly 

 reduced, and in the higher and more recent genera, such as Formica, 

 the thorax apparently consists of three segments only, the prono- 

 tum, mesonotum and epinotum, owing to the disappearance of the 

 scutellum, the paraptera and the metanotum. 



The legs of ants are not very variable and always consist of the 

 same number of joints the coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia, and a 

 five-jointed tarsus, the first joint of which is always long, especially 

 in the intermediate and posterior legs, and is called the metatarsus. 

 The last joint of the tarsus carries two claws (unguiculi) which 



