16 TAPINOMA. 



yellow ; the ocelli extremely minute, not discernible in small 

 examples ; eyes small ; scale of the petiole small, its superior 

 margin slightly emarginate or nearly truncate ; the scape and 

 the tibiae naked. 



Male. Length If line. Brownish black, with a sparing cine- 

 reous pile, most dense on the head and abdomen, very smooth 

 and shining ; the articulations of the legs and the tarsi pale 

 testaceous ; wings white-hyaline, with the nervures pale testa- 

 ceous ; the scape and the legs not pubescent ; the usual im- 

 pressed line in front of the anterior stemma obsolete. 



This species can only be confounded with F. umbrata amongst 

 the known British species ; but the differences pointed out under 

 that insect will help to separate them. The male offlava may be 

 known by its wanting the brown base to the wings and the im- 

 pressed line in front of the anterior stemma. F. flava is abun- 

 dant everywhere : in meadows and on heaths, &c. it raises its 

 little mounds, which serve to carry off the rain from its dwelling ; 

 whilst it will be found in hilly districts to avail itself of the pro- 

 tection of a stone or other substance, under which it constructs 

 its roads and nurseries ; it is in such situations that Claviger 

 testaceus and other Myrmecophilous beetles are most easily pro- 

 cured. This species is sometimes found occupying one side of 

 a hillock, whilst Myrmica scabrinodis appropriates the other. 



Genus 2. TAPINOMA. 



Formica, pt., Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm. 182 (1802). 

 Tapinoraa, Foerst. Hym. Stud. Form. 43 (1850). 



Maxillary palpi 6-jointed, labial palpi 4 -jointed ; antennas in- 

 serted in the middle of the face ; eyes rather within the sides of 

 the head, placed a little before the middle ; the scale of the petiole 

 oblong and decumbent ; ocelli obliterated in the workers ; wings 

 as in Formica fusca. 



This genus only differs from Formica in slight characters; 

 the flagellum is nearly filiform, and the decumbent scale is a 

 marked character. 



1. Tapinoma erratica. 



Fcemina. Nigro-fusca, cinerascenti-micans, pilositate abdominis 

 dorso vix conspicua ; pedum articulis tarsisque pallidis ; me- 

 tathorace dorso abbreviato ; squama oblonga, depressa ; clypei 



