found in Sout/iem India. 47 



of variable size, whilst in Atta it is said to be usually not of a 

 large size. We have in India species belonging apparently to 

 both groups, which I shall now endeavour to describe. 



1st Tribe. Myrmicites, 



Genus Atta. 



I possess six species of Ants, all of small size, which appear to 

 belong to this genus, having a sting, two knots in the first seg- 

 ment of the abdomen, antennae not concealed in a cleft, thorax 

 without spines, and short palpi. 



1. Atta minuta, Jerdon (p. 105). 



Worker barely y^^th of an inch long ; head oblong ; eyes mi- 

 nute, advanced; thorax narrow; abdominal pedicles long, nar- 

 row, the first much more raised than the second ; antennae gra- 

 dually thickening, of a rufous colour, with the abdomen some- 

 what darker or fuscous. Female about ^rd of an inch long, 

 similar in form to the worker ; abdomen larger proportionally, 

 and head smaller. 



This minute species makes a temporary nest in various situa- 

 tions — in an empty box ; between the back of a book and its 

 leaves ; even among the loose pages of a book ; in an empty 

 shell, &c. Nothing is used in its construction, a shelter 

 from the light merely being sought for. It is perhaps not very 

 numerous in indi\iduals ; one wingless female is generally found 

 in the nest. It is very common in the Carnatic and most of 

 India, but I have not seen it in Malabar. It appears to prefer 

 dead animal matter to saccharine or vegetable products. 



2. Atta destructor, Jerdon (p. 105). 



Worker about ^^ths of an inch long ; head oblong, not so long 

 in proportion as in the last ; eyes small, more medial than in the 

 last ; antennae short ; thorax naiTow, slightly gi-ooved ; abdo- 

 minal pedicles long, narrow, first higher than the second ; abdo- 

 men oval ; colour rufous ; abdomen glossy brown. I have not 

 seen the female. 



They hve in holes in the ground or in walls, &c., and are 

 very numerous in individuals. They prefer animal to vegetable 

 substances, destroying dead insects, bii-d skins, &c., but also 

 feed gi-eedily on sugar. They ai-e very common in aU parts of 

 India, and often prove very troublesome and destructive to the 

 naturalist. 



3. Atta domicola, Jerdon (p. 106). 



Worker about ^th of an inch long ; head oblong ; eyes mode- 

 rate size, medial ; antennae rather long j jaws strongly 4-toothed ; 



