Species of British Formicidce. 131 



Operaria. — Pallide flavo-testacea, laevis ; abdomine nitido, apice 



fiiscescente. 

 Mas. — Fusco-testaceus, nitidus ; antennis pedibusque pallide testa- 



ceis, antennis IS-articidatis ; metathorace inermi ; alis albo- 



hyalinis. 



Myrmica domestica, Shuck. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., p. Q2Q, 

 (1838) ^ ; Bostock, Trans. Ent. Soc. 

 Lond., ii. Q5 ; Smith, Cat. Brit. Hyni. 

 Append., p. 119, ?, $ ; Daniell, Proc. 

 Linn. Soc. ii. p. 172; Curtis, Trans. 

 Linn. Soc, xxi. 217, 13. 



Female. — Length 1| lines. Pale rufo-testaceous, the antennae 

 apparently 12-jointed ; a minute black stain behind the anterior 

 ocellus, and a similar one within each of the lateral ones, the stains 

 touching the ocelli. Thorax elongate-ovate, having anteriorly a 

 central elongate stain, a smaller one on each side, and the scu- 

 tellum behind, fuscous ; the legs very slender, and pale rufo- 

 testaceous as well as the tips of the femora. Abdomen fusco-tes- 

 taceous: ovate, smooth and shining; the base pale, also the apical 

 margins of the two, or sometimes three, following segments. 



Worker. — Pale reddish yellow : the apex and sides of the ab- 

 domen more or less fusco-testaceous, the antennae 12-jointed; the 

 head and thorax sub-opaque, the abdomen smooth and shining ; the 

 metathorax without spines; the thorax strangulated at the junc- 

 tion of the meta- and mesothorax. 



Male. — Length 1 line. Fusco-testaceous: the head usually 

 darkest, very delicately roughened and sub-opaque ; ocelli promi- 

 nent : the antennae and legs pale testaceous ; the scape slightly 

 fuscous, sometimes only towards the base, the antennae covered 

 with very short pubescence. Thorax: very closely and very deli- 

 cately punctured ; the wings hyaline, the metathorax not spined. 

 Abdomen ovate, smooth and shining ; the scutellum is very 

 convex, and the metathorax has a central longitudinal impressed 

 line. 



I have included this species amongst our indigenous insects, it 

 having apparently become quite naturalized, but I have very strong 

 reasons to believe that it was introduced. I resided in a house 

 where this little pest had taken up its abode. The Formicarium 

 was in the kitchen beneath the hearth, from thence up to the top of 

 the house was a continuous line of ants constantly passing in opposite 

 directions ; the line became less multitudinous as it extended up- 



K 2 



