ANTS FROM MESOPOTAMIA AND NORTH-WEST PERSIA, 1638 
ants is a single specimen of Polyrhachis simplex, Mayr, a species very 
common in India, and the only member of this large genus that is 
found so far west in Asia as Mesopotamia. 
My thanks are due to Professor C. Emery for his help and for the 
loan of examples of several species not represented in my collection. 
Sub-family I. Ponsrina, Lep. 
Anochetus ghiliani, Spin. 8. 
Sar-1-Pal, Persia, 1919 (vans). 
Sub-family I]. Doryrinm, Leach. 
Dorylus (Typhlopone) fulvus, Westw. g. Tigris, 1918 (Evans). - 
8 Amara, 1918 (Buxton). 
Sub-family II]. Myroicinm, Mayr. 
Myrmica bergi, Ruzsky, var fortior, var. nov. 
8 L. 5:0 mm. 
Head broader than in bergi, and sculpture of head and thorax coarser and 
more broken, and that of nodes much coarser than in the type. Entire body - 
darker than in bergi: in all other respects similar to bergi. Enzeli,. N.W. 
Persia, 1919. (Buxton). 
Comparison made with an example of beryi from the author 
himself, kindly sent me for the purpose by Prof. Kmery. This 
specimen came from Aral. 
Aphaenogaster sp. N.H. of Baghdad, 1918. A single ¥ mounted 
on a card with specimens of Monomorium qracillimum, Sm., with 
which it was apparently taken. 
Messor arenarius, F. % Baghdad, 1918. (Evans). 
Messor platyceras, sp. nov. Fig. 3 and 8a, 
8 Major. L. 75mm. 
Black; mandibles, apex of scape, the funiculus, joints of legs and the tarsi 
reddish-brown. Whole body covered with a yellowish pilosity, longest on prono- 
tum, short on antenne and legs. 
Head as broad as long, narrower in front, occipital border feebly concave, eyes 
situated behind middle of sides. Scapes do not quite reach occipital border. First 
joint of funiculus longer than 2nd, flattened so as to be twice as long as broad with 
parallel sides, and much wider than 2nd joint when viewed on its flat side, 
whereas viewed the other way it is thinner than 2nd joint. From the 2nd to the 
6th the joints decrease slightly in length and increase in thickness. The whole 
antenna and the joints are shorter and thicker proportionately than in the var. 
amphigea, Por. of vertzent, For., which has a very similarly shaped first joint. A 
medium-sized tooth at base of scape. Clypeus flat, the anterior border slightly 
excised. Promesonottum much arched, shoulders evenly rounded. Base of 
epinotum nearly twice as long as declivity, their junction forming a sharp angle in 
profile, but without teeth. Petiole in profile with a rather thin scale, concave in 
front; postpetiole rounded and lower. 
Mandibles entirely coarsely and evenly striate. Whole of head longitudinally 
striate ; there are no curved strie in the antennal socket; the strie are broken on 
the occiput where there are a few long shallow punctures; head shining. 
Pronotum anteriorly transversely rugose, the ruge curving round the sides; 
posteriorly, irregularly longitudinally rugose above; .mesonotum irregularly 
transversely rugose; epinotum evenly transversely striate above; sides of 
mesonotum and epinotum transversely rugose. Petiole smooth anteriorly, trans- 
versely rugose above and behind; postpetiole longitudinally rugose anteriorly, 
transversely rugose posteriorly. Base of gaster longitudinally striate for a short 
distance, the rest smooth and shining. 
