53 Mr. T. C. Jerdon on new species of Ants 



spines in its posterior extremity; abdominal pedicles slightly 

 raised, first long, conic, second rounded, both narrow above. 



Female f ths of an inch long ; head nearly square, slightly 

 notched behind, three ocelli on top of head ; eyes large, medial ; 

 head striated, with a hollow for the base of the antennae ; jaws 

 triangular, bluntly toothed at the two angles ; antennse short ; 

 thorax much raised anteriorly, and with two small posterior 

 spines ; abdomen long, oval, large. 



I, on one occasion only, found a single individual, which I 

 presume to be the female (which had lost her wings), under a 

 stone in my garden at Tellicheriy, surrounded by numerous 

 workers who were busy tending her, and removing some eggs or 

 larvae It is the only female I have seen of this genus, and is 

 well characterized by its large eyes and ocelli. 



13. Ocodoma quadrispinosa, Jerdon (p. 111). 



Worker nearly ^th of an inch long ; head smooth ; eyes 

 small ; thorax with two small spines anteriorly, and two large 

 curved spines posteriorly ; first abdominal pedicle long, raised, 

 rounded behind ; second also rounded, blunter, of equal height ; 

 head, legs and thorax dark rufous ; abdomen blackish brown. 



I have not seen the warrior (if any) of this race, which I found 

 during the monsoon forming a small temporary mud abode 

 round the head of flowers of a species of Leucas abundant in 

 Malabar. It appeared to be feeding on the vegetable secretions 

 suiTOunding the seeds. 



Of these seven species of Ocodoma the first and last are very 

 distinct from all the others, the first by having only rudimentary 

 spines, and the last by having four spines instead of two. Oco- 

 doma minor is easily recognized by its smaller size ; and the 

 other four are most readily distinguished by the jaws of the 

 warriors, which in diversa is entire, in ajjints with two teeth at 

 each angle, in diffusa with moderately strong teeth throughout 

 its extent, and in providens with the jaw very finely toothed. 



Genus Eciton. 



The characters of this genus are thus given by St. Fargeau : 

 " Antennse entirely free, head elongated, and the thorax without 

 spines; maxillary palpi long, of six joints; jaws linear; wings 

 unknown." I have got four species of ants which perhaps may 

 be ranged under this genus, of which only one species is de- 

 scribed, and that from South America; but it is more than 

 probable that they will form a new genus, to which however 1 

 will not attempt to impose a name. My species have a long 

 slender body, oblong head, large eyes, short antennae, inserted 

 very near the mouth, linear or oblong jaws, and sting very 

 severely. 



