HYMENOPTERA. 3 



Formica dorsata, Panz. Faun. Germ. 54. 1 ? . 

 Formica obsoleta, Zett. Ins. Lapp. 449. 5 $ $ . 

 Formica lugubris, Zett. idem, 6 <J . 

 Formica polyctena, Foerst. Hym. Stud. Form. 15. 4. 



Schenck, Beschr. Nass. Ameis. 28. 

 Formica truncicola, Foerst. Hym. Stud. Form. 21. 

 Formica piniphila, Schenck, Beschr. Nass. Ameis. 28. 



Hab. Europe. 



This species is popularly known as tbe Wood-ant, from the 

 circumstance of its forming the heaped-up nests of leaves, sticks 

 and similar materials, usually in woods, but colonies are fre- 

 quently met with in other situations ; indeed it sometimes takes 

 possession of the decaying trunk of a tree, and has been observed 

 in a wall built of turf; but woods are its common habitat. The 

 nests of this species are the habitat of several Coleoptera, which 

 probably resort to them as suitable situations in which to un- 

 dergo their metamorphoses ; of such, Cetonia aurata and Clythra 

 quadripunctata are examples : besides these, there are also found 

 in the nests a number of species belonging to the family Sta- 

 phylinidse, and as these are carried into the nests by the ants 

 themselves, there can be little doubt, as they are not only suf- 

 fered to live, but are carefully tended to and protected by the 

 ants, that they are in some way conducive to the welfare of the 

 communities, probably emitting, like the Aphidae, secretions 

 which are supplied by the working ants to their young brood. 

 In the nest are also occasionally found colonies of the allied 

 genus Myrmica ; M. nitidula and M. muscorum are sometimes 

 met with, and we have twice found a colony of M. Icevinodis 

 living in perfect harmony with the rightful owners in the very 

 heart of the nest. 



2. FORMICA CONGERENS. B.M. 



Formica congerens, Nyl. Adno. Mon. Form. 906. /; Addit. Alter. 

 Mon. Form. 30; Form. Fr. et d'Alger. 61. 15. 

 Foerst. Hym. Stud. Form. 17. 5. 

 Schenck, Beschr. Nass. Ameis. 30. 

 Mayr. Form. Austr. 60. 10; Ungar. Ameis. 10. 10. 



Hab. Britain; France; Germany; Hungary; Switzerland; Italy; 

 Finland. 



This species, which closely resembles the wood-ant, F. rufa, 

 has been found in Scotland ; it is readily distinguished by its 

 being much more pubescent than F. rufa. It constructs similar 

 nests to the wood-ant, and in its nests are found not only a 

 species of Myrmica, but several interesting species of Staphy- 



