MYRMECOPHILOUS NOTES FOR 1916. 49 



this species had evidently taken place at Crowthorne, on July 30th, as 

 my friend, Mr. W. E. Sharp, and I observed a number of dealated ? ? 

 running about in a sand-pit in the afternoon, near nests of Acant/io- 

 myo/is [Donlsthorpea) nif/er. One 5 had a dead nifier in her jaws, 

 another lay dead near the entrance to a ni/jer nest. Although the 

 founding of colonies by mnbratiis 2 J in nests of ni (/ er a,nd alieniis has 

 been proved beyond question, it is always as well to record all observa- 

 tions in the field bearing on the subject. 



On May 17th ^ ^ of ninbratns were taken from a colony at Deal, 

 nesting under a sod on the sandhills, and on August 23rd others were 

 captured in a decaying birch tree in Eichmond Park. Both lots were 

 introduced into my iimbratuH observation nest and were well I'eceived 

 none being attacked or killed ; a fact which I have demonstrated before 

 on various occasions with this species. 



Acanthonu/ops [Donifithorpea) nifier L., var. alieno-mtjsy Porel. 

 Forel in his last work on the ants of Switzerland [Mitt. Schweiz. 

 Ent. (resell., 12, 56 (1915)] says that the ^ of this variety is un- 

 known. In my book, British Ants, p. 211, I record ^ $ from Wey- 

 bridge and Clacton-on-Sea. These specimens are intermediate between 

 $ 3 of ni(ier and alieniis in size, colour, and pubescence. 



Formica rnfa L., var. rnfo-pratensis. Forel. Forel {I.e., p. 61) also 

 says the ,^ of this variety is unknown. I record a specimen from the 

 Isle of Wight {I.e., p. 265), and state that the wings appear to be a 

 little blacker than in nifa, probably only an individual variety. It is 

 somewhat intermediate between rrifa and pratensis, being much nearer 

 to riifa [ — rufa-pratensoides E'orel, Denkseh.r, Scliweiz. Ges. Naturiv., 

 26, 16 (1874)] than to pratensis, as might be expected in Isle of Wight 

 specimens. 



Formica rnfa L., var. alpina Sants. Forel again {I.e., p. 60) 

 states that, the ? this time, of this var. is unknown. I have published 

 {I.e., p. 266) a careful description of this sex from eight dealated speci- 

 mens taken in Scotland. 



It should be mentioned that our eminent and accomplished Swiss 

 colleague's work was in the press at the same time as my own book, 

 and consequently it was impossible for him to know what I had 

 published. 



Formica sanf/idnea Latr. On May 10th I visited the spot near 

 Woking where the two colonies in which Pseudogynes were found in 

 1913, 1914, and 1915, are situated [see Brit. Ants, p. 296; Ent. Rec., 28, 

 3 (1916)] ; the only colonies in which I have ever found pseudogynes 

 in this district. They had evidently joined forces, one large nest only, 

 in a flourishing condition, being present. It was found to contain a 

 large number of pseudogynes, great numbers of ordinary ^ ^ , egg- 

 masses, and over a dozen Lomechusa strnmo.sa. A queen, a number of 

 ^ ^ , pseudogynes, packets of eggs, and six Lomechusa were taken 

 home and fixed up in a four-chamber " Janet " nest. The mite, 

 Laelajis oojihilus, was present among the egg-masses. 



The queen laid eggs on May 13th, June 3rd, etc. On June 20th I 

 introduced a number of scmciuinea sex pupte, and packets of eggs from 



