172 LIST OF A SMALL COLLECTION OF ANTS PIERS 



Subfamily Dolichoderinae. 



Dolichoderus (Hypoclinea) taschenbergi Mayr variety ater- 

 rimus Wheeler. — No. 4, honey ants; No. 13, honey ants, with 

 Aphids; Pleasantfield. 



Tapinoma sessile Say. — No. 19, nests beneath rocks on 

 dry land; No. 20, nest under stone; Pleasantfield. 



Subfamily Formicinae. 



Brachymyrmex heeri Forel subspecies depilis Emery, — No. 

 I7(?), nest under stone, may be same as No. 18; No. 18, nest 

 under stone; Pleasantfield. 



Lasius {Formicina) brevicornis Emery. — No. 34; North 

 Brookfield. 



Lasius niger Linn, subspecies alienus Forster variety amer- 

 icanus Emery. — No. 9, nest under rocks in dry land; No. 21, 

 nest under stone; Pleasantfield. 



[Large swarms of Lasius niger alienus var. americanus are 

 observed about Halifax during the nuptial flight on fine, warm, 

 more or less calm days during the first week of September. 

 This small, black, winged ant was observed in swarms about 

 Halifax and Northwest Arm on 1st Sept., 1919. On 3rd Sept.. 

 1921, a very hot day, numerous swarms were also noted about 

 Halifax and Bedford. On the evening of 4th Sept., 1922, it 

 occurred in countless small swarms, one swarm very closely 

 following its predecessor and appearing like never-ending whisps 

 of smoke or mist against the sky, all flying in a northwesterly 

 direction, over Armdale at the head of the Northwest Arm, 

 Halifax. The insects were also very pleantiful in the air gener- 

 ally. They were noted from 6 to 7.30 p. m. daylight-saving 

 time (5 to 6.30 standard time). It had been a dull, cloudy day, 

 with a northwest breeze during the earlier part of the afternoon, 

 and a temprature of 68°. Rain and lightning occurred at 10.40 

 p. m. Specimens sent to Prof. Wheeler were males of this 

 variety (see Museum Ace. No. 5145). On 9th September, 1923, 

 a warm, calm day, very many of these winged ants were 

 observed about Armdale, Northwest Arm, and MacNab's Island. 

 Less numerous swarms of large, winged, black ants of another 

 species, not determined, occur on hot days from about 29th 

 May to 4th June. — H. Piers.] 



Lasius niger Linn, variety sitkaensis Pergande. — No. 12, 

 beneath rocks on hills of No. 5 (Formica ulkei); No. 22, nests 

 beneath rocks; Pleasantfield. No. 30, nest in well-formed hill; 



