WHEELER: ANTS OF THE GENUS FORMICA. 503 
and the clear wings of the male and female, is very widely distributed. 
It evidently belongs to the colder portions of the transition zone 
and is common in the mountains of the western part of the country 
between elevations of 7,000 and 11,000 ft., but more sporadic in 
the Eastern States. It nests in the sand dunes and along the beaches 
of the New England coast but seems to be rather local. 
86. F. FUSCA FUSCA var. MARCIDA, var. nov. 
WorkER. Length 2.5-4.5 mm. 
Closely allied to the typical fusca but averaging smaller. The 
sculpture and pubescence are much as in fusca. Body subopaque. 
Hairs very sparse and short. Body dark reddish brown, head and 
gaster blackish, sutures of thorax reddish or yellowish, mandibles, 
antennae, and legs pale yellowish brown, tips of funiculi and middle 
portions of femora somewhat darker. 
FEMALE (DEALATED). Length 7-8 mm. 
Like the female of the typical fusca but smaller; gaster and upper 
surface of thorax nearly as smooth and shining, with sparse pubescence. 
Body blackish brown, mandibles, legs, scapes, and bases of funiculi 
brownish yellow. 
Type LocaLity.— British Columbia: Prairie Hills, Selkirk Moun- 
tains (J. C. Bradley). 
British Columbia: Howser, Golden, Carbonate, 2,600 ft. and Mo- 
raine Lake (J. C. Bradley); Golden (W. Wenman). 
Alberta: Banff (N. B. Sanson). 
Manitoba: Aweme (Jas. Fletcher). 
Washington: Ellensburg, Kiona (W. M. Mann); Brinnon, Hood 
Canal (J. C. Bradley). 
Described from nine dedlated females and numerous workers. 
This variety, at first sight, resembles the European glebaria, but it is 
smaller and the female has a smooth, shining gaster and _ thoracic 
dorsum like the female of the typical fusca. The workers of some 
colonies are almost indistinguishable from the typical fusca, others 
are as Clearly transitional to the varieties gelida and argentea. 
A note by Mr. Bradley accompanying the specimens from Moraine 
Lake states that they “were gathered under a stone from which the 
snow had recently receded. The workers are quick and agile and 
hide under the stones and in moss. Quite a number of nests were 
found at about timber-line.” These remarks indicate that marcida 
is an alpine variety like gelzda. 
