22 BRITISH ANTS. 



a not very winding tube which ends in a sort of swelling or " bour- 

 relet." 



When a sting is present, the acid is injected directly into the 

 body of an enemy, but when absent, the latter is sprayed over him, 

 or into a wound inflicted by the mandibles. 



The anal, or repugnatorial glands, are only present in the workers 

 and females of the Dolichoderinae. They consist of two grape - 

 like clusters of cells ; their ducts open into two large vesicles or 

 sacs, which act as reservoirs for the secretions of these glands. 

 This apparatus is situated above the rectum, and opens just above 

 the anus. The secretion is used to protect the ant against other 

 ants, and enemies ; it is very powerful, and in Tapinoma it possesses 

 a very strong and distinctive odour. 



Repugnatorial ^7^8$&L 1 Vesicle 



glands 



Orifice of 

 poison vesicle 



Orifice of vagina 



Fig. 38. Sketch to show position of Repugnatorial glands of 

 Tapinoma erraticum . 



Reproductive Organs. 



The reproductive organs in the female ant consist of a vagina, 

 uterus, bursa copulatrix, receptaculum seminis and ovaries. The 

 vagina, which is short, opens into the uterus, its external opening 

 consisting of a transverse slit situated in front of the sting, or its 

 vestige, on the sternal membrane of the seventh abdominal segment. 

 The bursa copulatrix is a sac, or copulatory pouch situated on the 

 dorsal wall of the vagina. The uterus is formed by the junction of 

 the two oviducts of each ovary, and upon it is placed the recepta- 

 culum seminis, which is connected with the uterus by a narrow 

 passage. The receptaculum seminis is a small pocket which is filled 

 with the male element during copulation. A pair of glands are 

 situated at the apex of this receptacle ; these secrete a nutritive 

 fluid, which keeps alive for many years the male element, or sperm. 

 The eggs are fertilized during their passage through the uterus by 

 sperm ejected from the receptaculum. The ovaries consist of a 

 number of tubes, the ovarioles, each tapering towards its apex, 



