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



44. Formica nana, Jerdon (p. 125). 



Worker, length not y ^th of an inch ; eyes anterior ; thorax 

 wide; abdomen long, elliptical; head and thorax brown; an- 

 tennae, legs and abdomen pale whity brown. 



This minute species is found in all parts of India, and is 

 abundant in Mysore; but from its small size is noticed with 

 difficulty. It feeds on flowers and vegetable secretions. 



** With spines on the thorax. 



45. Formica nidificans, Jerdon (p. 125). 



Worker, /^ths of an inch long ; head triangularly ovate, ele- 

 vated; eyes moderate; jaws strongly three-toothed; thorax 

 wide anteriorly, narrowed behind, with two small spines ante- 

 riorly pointing forwards, and two large ones behind pointing 

 upwards and backwards, and two rudimentary spines or points 

 behind and beneath these latter; abdominal pedicle square, 

 raised, with two large upright spines, and a smaller one on each 

 side ; abdomen short ; head and abdomen rufous ; thorax dark 

 glossy brown. 



Female, ^rd of an inch long, similar to the worker; three 

 ocelU on top of the head : wingless. 



This ant makes a small nest about half an inch, or rather 

 more, in diameter, of some papyraceous material, which it fixes 

 on a leaf. I have opened two, each of which contained one 

 female and eight or ten workers. It is very rare, and I have 

 only seen it in Malabar. 



46. Formica syhicola, Jerdon (p. 126). 



Worker, y'^ths of an inch long ; head narrowed in front and 

 rounded behind; eyes posterior, salient; antennae inserted in 

 front of the eyes, with a strong crest bordering their insertion 

 internally ; jaws shorty with five teeth, the upper one much the 

 longest and bent ; thorax wide, with two spines on its anterior 

 angles, and two stronger ones posteriorly pointing backwards 

 and upwards; abdominal pedicle large, square, ending behind 

 in two lai'ge curved spines, pointing backwards and outwards, 

 and two points or tubercles behind and between them ; abdomen 

 short, oval, colour dull black; abdomen shining glaucous green. 



Female, g^ths of an inch long, diifers in the anterior thoracic 

 spines being apparently shorter, and in having three ocelli : 

 wingless. 



This ant has the same habits as the last, but is not found 

 except in the jungles. It appears very closely allied to F. hastata 

 of Latreille, from India, and to several other species said to be 

 from Southern Asia; and as many of these may be found in 



