WHEELER: ANTS OF THE GENUS FORMICA. 553 
sloping. Gaster more shining than the head and thorax. Hairs 
rather short, pubescence short, rather dense on the gaster, indistinct 
elsewhere. 
Head black, thorax, antennae, petiole, and gaster dark brown, 
genitalia scarcely paler than the gaster. Sutures of thorax, legs, and 
tips of mandibles brownish yellow. Wings as in the female. 
Ontario: Toronto (R. J. Crew). 
Maine: Ogunquit (H. S. Pratt). 
New Hampshire: Durham (C. M. Weed). 
Massachusetts: Andover, South Natick, Sherborn (A. P. Morse); 
Mt. Tom (G. B. King, Geo. Dimmock); Woods Hole, Boston 
(Wheeler). 
Rhode Island: Providence (Davis). 
Connecticut: New Haven (W. E. Britton, H. L. Viereck); Salis- 
bury, Stafford (W. E. Britton); Winsted, Norfolk, Colebrook 
(Wheeler). 
New York: Bronxville, Mosholu (Wheeler); West Farms (J. 
Angus). 
New Jersey: Lakehurst, Ramapo Mountains, Weasel Mount, 
Great Notch (Wheeler); Alpine, Ft. Lee (W. Beutenmiiller); 
Lucaston. 
Pennsylvania: White Haven (J. C. Bradley); Chestertown (E. G. 
Vanatta); Lehigh Gap. 
North Carolina: Black Mountains (W. Beutenmiiller); Lake Toxa- 
way (Mrs. A. T. Slosson). 
Indiana: Pine, Shoals) Hammond, Wyandotte, New Harmony 
(W.S. Blatchley). 
Ilhnois: Rockford (Wheeler). 
Wisconsin: Milwaukee (C. E. Brown). 
This is a very common form throughout the Northern States east of 
the Mississippi. It forms small or moderately large colonies which 
nest under stones or in obscure crater nests in open, sunny fields and 
pastures and on grassy hill-slopes. It is an extremely timid ant, 
usually fleeing with great precipitation when its nest is disturbed, 
never stopping to defend itself and returning to secure its brood in a 
furtive and hesitating manner. It lives largely on dead insects and 
the excreta of aphids. I agree with Emery that the male and female 
described by Mayr as belonging to this form may be more properly 
referred to the subsp. nitidiventris. 
