WHEELER: ANTS OF THE GENUS FORMICA. 479 
New Jersey: Lakehurst, Halifax (Wheeler); Brown’s Mills Junc- 
tion (W. T. Davis). 
New York: Bronxville (Wheeler). 
This ant, originally described as a form of rufa, occurs sporadically 
in open mountainous woods from New York state to North Carolina 
and probably somewhat further south along the Alleghanies. It 
nests under stones, which it banks with vegetable detritus. The 
colonies are often moderately large. 
64. FE. DIFFICILIS var. CONSOCIANS Wheeler. 
F. difficilis var. consocians Wheeler, Bull. Amer. mus. nat. hist., 1904, 20, 
p.3/71,8 @ ao’; Ibid., 1906, 22, p. 50. 
WorkeErR. Length 3.5-5.5 mm. 
Closely resembling the typical form, but the erect hairs more abun- 
dant and slightly longer, especially on the front, gula, and thorax. 
There are also numerous hairs on the posterolateral corners of the head, 
which are nearly always lacking in the typical dzfficilis. The petiolar 
border is somewhat sharper and the frontal area is smoother and more 
shining. 
FEMALE. Length 4-5.5 mm. 
Differing from the female of the typical consocians in having the 
pubescence and pilosity more abundant. The former is rather dense 
so that the whole body except the anterior portion of the head appears 
much less shining. The tibiae have long, scattered, oblique or sub- 
erect hairs which are lacking in the typical dzfficilis. Wings grayish 
hyaline, darker at the base. 
Mae. Length 5.5-6.5 mm. 
Mandibles broad, usually edentate, but occasionally with minute 
teeth at the base. Clypeus sharply carinate. Petiole thick, trans- 
verse, its anterior surface angularly convex, its posterior surface more 
flattened, its border obtuse, seen from behind broadly rounded and 
entire. 
Body subopaque, head and gaster somewhat more shining. Man- 
dibles coarsely punctate. Frontal area smooth and shining. 
Hairs yellowish, erect, rather abundant on the head, mesonotum 
and petiole, sparse on the pleurae and upper surface of the gaster. 
Tibiae with a few small oblique hairs. Eyes hairless. Pubescence 
rather long and conspicuous on the thorax and gaster, shorter and 
sparser on the head, dense and very fine on the legs. 
Head and thorax black; mandibles, antennae, petiole, and gaster 
dark brown; legs and genitalia light yellow; fore femora sometimes 
slightly infuscated. Wings grayish hyaline, distinctly infuscated 
towards their bases; veins and stigma brown. 
