Species of British Fonnicida. 101 



IVorker. — Length 3 — 4 lines. Head and thorax rufo-ferrugi- 

 nous ; the vertex, and a broad stripe, passing from the vertex of 

 the eyes to the insertion of the antenna?, nigro-fuscous ; an im- 

 pressed line passes from the anterior stemma to the base of the 

 clypeus ; the latter has a fuscous stain in the centre, the antennas 

 of the same colour, the eyes black. Thorax elongate, compressed ; 

 a deep strangulation between the meso and metathorax ; the pro- 

 thorax has a fuscous spot above ; the metathorax elevated : the 

 abdominal scale sub-rotundate, slightly notched above ; the scale, 

 coxa?, trochanters, and base of the femora, rufo-ferruginous ; the 

 femora, tibiae and tarsi dark rufo-testaceous. Abdomen ovate, 

 nigro-fuscous, covered with an obscure cinereous pilosity, a few 

 scattered pale hairs at the apex ; beneath nigro-piceous. 



l\Iale. — Length 4 — 5 lines. Nigro-fuscous ; head not so wide 

 as the thorax, eyes large, prominent and oblong-ovate ; the head 

 and eyes slightly pilose. Thorax elongate-ovate, the scutellum 

 and metathorax shining ; wings as in the female; the femora and 

 knees rufo-testaceous. Abdomen as long as the head and thorax, 

 the margins of the segments polished, the apex rufo-testaceous. 



This species is perhaps the most generally known of all our 

 indigenous ants, and has hence acquired several popular appella- 

 sions, as the Pismire, the Hill Ant, the Wood Ant, and the Horse 

 Ant; the latter possibly from its habit of carrying burdens of 

 sticks, leaves, &c. in constructing its nest j it is found in all 

 parts of the kingdom, but I have observed its colonies to be 

 larger and most numerous in the north, particularly in open spaces 

 in fir woods ; the nest of this Ant is resorted to by the larvae of 

 several Coleopterous insects for the purpose of undergoing their 

 transformations. I have found the Cclon'ta aurata, and numbers 

 of pupa? and perfect individuals of Clythra ^-jmnctala, in nests 

 which I have met with in Yorkshire. 



Sp. 2. Formica sanguinea. 



Fcem'ma. — Rufo-ferruginea, levissime cinereo-nnicans, fronte cum 

 vertice et abdomine castaneo-fuscis ; squama subtriangulariter 

 rotundata, margine supero vel integro vel leviter emarginato ; 

 alis a basi ad medium pallide rufescentibus. 



Operaria. — Capite, thorace pedibusque sanguineis, clypei mar- 

 ginis leviter emarginato ; abdomine castaneo-fusco. 



I\Ias. — Fusco-niger, pedlbus pallide rufescentibus, clypco obsolete 

 emarginato ; squama crassa, transversiui subrcctangulari, supra 

 integra, vel late subomarginata. 



