SUBDIVISIONS OF THE FORMICIDyE. 173 



leated division of the Formicidie. These insects construct 

 their nests in hollow trees, and are exclusively found in 

 the New World and its islands ; but we are acquainted 

 with a yet uncharacterised genus from Ceylon, which 

 closely links the latter with the next genus, Ponera. The 

 latter is of universal distribution, butexceedingly variable 

 in form ; it at present evidently incorporates many other 

 very distinct genera, which we propose separating from 

 it. By the strangulation of the second segment of its 

 abdomen, it makes a very convenient passage to the next 

 division of the group, — those with two nodes to that 

 portion of the body. We are unacquainted with its 

 habits ; but in the absence of any account of extensive 

 building or mining, Avhich could scarcely have escaped 

 observation, from the multitude of species that have been 

 collected, we surmise that its powerful mandibles indi- 

 cate very destructive propensities. The communities of 

 the European species (which also occurs in this country), 

 P. contracta, are said to be small, and to live under 

 stones; and, indeed, the neuters only, of one sub-genus 

 in particular, the Ponera gigantea, have come under our 

 notice; which, from its conspicuous size, would cer- 

 tainly have attracted attention, had they formed large 

 dwellings, or associated in numerous bodies. In the 

 division with two nodes to the peduncle, we have some 

 doubt if Condylodon Lund, be truly an ant, for its form 

 greatly resembles some of the Mutillidce. Lund, during 

 the whole of his residence in the Brazils, observed only 

 a single specimen of the genus. We are, however, ac- 

 quainted with nine species, all apterous, and all of 

 which seem very rare ; and this circumstance, even if 

 they be social, would of course imply that their societies 

 were small. Myrmecia, of which the type is the F. gu- 

 losa Fab., is exclusively confined to New Holland and 

 its adjacent islands ; it appears to be very numerous in 

 distinct species, which differ considerably in size, — even 

 more so than we usually observe in natural genera, 

 which generally present a tolerable uniformity. Eciton 

 is exclusively American ; and its type, the F. hamuta. 



