186 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1892. 



This is the Indian form of a species very fairly common on the 

 Mediterranean Kttoral and in Egypt. It is a phenomenally active 

 species, and by far the widest ' ranger ' of all the ants ; it is very 

 common moreover, and hence ubiquitous. It would be quite safe 

 to affirm that a specimen could be found within 50 yards of any spot 

 in any grass land in the Poena Districts. It is a harvester, and 

 in the immediate vicinity of the nest there are usually fairly well- 

 marked roads ; I have occasionally found a community travelling 

 up and down a tree, where the only attraction could have been 

 vegetable juices or 'cattle.' I took the winged sexes from a nest 

 early in May. 



143. Mon. vastator (Smith). 



Poena Districts ; Thana Districts. 



C. Provinces ..J. A. Betham. 



Calcutta G. A. J. Rothney. 



Ceylon Major Yerbury. 



Smith has also described this species, or a variety, under the naim« 

 of M. hasale ; the explanation probably being that this species ' varies '' 

 enormously. It is almost certainly the * brown ant ' referred to in 

 " Tribes on my Frontier." M. hasale is very common in the Konkan, 

 where she is a ' house ' ant, and is very quick to find any foo^, 

 especially sugar, which may be left about. She is slow in her move- 

 ments, and always travels in single file to the food- supply which i» 

 being harvested. It is curious to watch the scrupulous way in which 

 a 5 , even though there be no other within 6 inches, follows every 

 winding of the path taken by the ^ in front of her, leading to the 

 irresistible conclusion that she follows by scent. I have never seen 

 M. hasale harvest grain, but Mr. Aitken tells me that in Bombay " it 

 " used to carry off the seed from my bird cages. It eats bread too, 

 " gnawing its way into the heart of a loaf, the same with cold 

 " mutton. It is very fond of olive oil." Above the Ghats it is a wild 

 species, but not common. 



144. Mon. pharaonis (Lin.). 

 Poena Districts (a variety), 



Kanara..... E, H. Aitken. 



Calcutta G. A. J, Rothney. 



This is a European form. 



