HYMENOPTERA. 33 



(lomen large, ovate, and wirier than the thorax ; scale of the pe- 

 duncle small, ovate, and slightly marginate above. 



Hub. Port Natal, 



113. Formica Natalensis. B.M. 



Female. Length 7 lines. — Shining black, with the head above 

 and the disk of the thorax opake. Head elongate; the clypeus 

 carinated longitudinally ; tlie mandibles obscurely ferruginous ; 

 the flagellum rufo -testaceous ; the eyes placed rather high on 

 the back of the head ; a smooth impressed line runs from the 

 anterior sterama to the base of the clypeus. The mesothorax 

 with a deeply impressed line in the middle running backwards 

 one-third of its length ; a finer and more slightly impresseil line 

 runs on each side over the tegulas ; a few scattered punctures 

 on the disk ; the metathorax rounded behind ; the apical joints of 

 the tarsi ferruginous; the wings fusco-hyaline, palest towards 

 their apex, the nervures testaceous, the stigma dark brown. 

 Abdomen ovate ; the apical margins of the segments narrowly 

 pale testaceous ; the scale of the peduncle subquadrate, and 

 emargiuate above. 



Worker major. Length 6 lines. — Coloured like the female, 

 only differing in having the mandibles black ; head very large, 

 much wider than the thorax and deeply excavated behmd; tho- 

 rax widest in front, narrowed behind and obliquely truncate at 

 the apex; the scale of the peduncle narrower than in the female, 

 its margin above entire. 



Worker minor. Length 5 lines. — Coloured like the lar^-e 

 worker, but having the mandibles ferruginous at the apex; slender 

 and elongate ; the head oblong-ovate, and slightly emarginate 

 behind ; the antennae elongate and slender. Thorax elongate, 

 narrower than the head, widest in froiit; the scale incrassate, 

 narrow and subconic.al, its apex somewhat pointed. Abdomen 

 ovate. 



Male. Length 4| lines. — In form resembling the male of F. 

 riifa, in colour agreeing with the other sexes ; the head narrower 

 than the thorax, the legs slender and elongate, the tarsi pale 

 rufo-testaceous ; scale small, subcouical, and slightly notcheii 

 above. Abdomen elongate-ovate. 



Hab. Port Natal. 



Mr. R. W. Plant collected a number of each sex of this spe- 

 cies from the nest, constructed in old decaving trees. 



'fa 



114. Formica custodiexs. B.7vr. 



W^orker, Length 2 lines.— Head, thorax and legs ferruginous. 



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