35 



or tcoth. Postpetiole convex above, one and one-quarter 

 times as long as broad, much broader behind than in front, 

 where it is as broad as the posterior border of the petiole, 

 the ventral surface anteriorly with a blunt, transverse 

 tubercle. First gastric segment separated by a slight con- 

 striction from the postpetiole, as broad as long, very convex 

 dorsally, and rapidly narrowed behind to the small remaining 

 segments. Legs moderately long, tarsi slender. Opaque; 

 gaster and legs somewhat shining. Mandibles densely and 

 finely punctate-rugulose. Head, thorax,, petiole, and post- 

 petiole uniformly and densely foveolate (thimble-pitted), 

 gaster and legs very finely and densely punctate and 

 shagreened ; antennal scapes with smaller and more scattered 

 foveolae than the head. Hairs lacking; whole body covered 

 with short, fine, dense, silky, yellowish-white pubescence, so 

 that the surface appears like velvet under a low magnification. 

 Rich ferruginous-red ; gaster and legs, including the coxae, 

 slightly paler and more yellowish ; edges of frontal carinae, 

 posterior border and a median dorsal line on the postpetiole, 

 and a similar line on the first gastric segment deep brownish- 

 red. 



Female (dealated). Length, about 2'4 mm. 



Differing from the worker in the larger eyes, the presence 

 of ocelli, and the structure of the thorax. Pronotum twice 

 as broad as long and very shor4 in the middle, owing to the 

 extension forward of the mesonotum, which is as long as 

 broad, evenly convex above, with distinct parapsidal furrows. 

 Tubercles of the epinotum distinctly larger and more acute 

 than in the worker. 



Described from 39 specimens, one female and 38 workers, 

 constituting an entire colony taken by myself October 24, 

 1914, in a small clearing in the tropical "scrub" (rain forest) 

 at Kuranda, Northern Queensland. The nest was of peculiar 

 structure, being a small, regularly-elliptical cavity, 2 cm. 

 lcng by 1"5 cm. in width, in the soil under the centre of a 

 large flat stone. This cavity was completely lined with the 

 dense, white mycelium of a fungus, on which the ants were 

 quietly resting. When disturbed their movements were very 

 slow, and many of them curled up and "feigned death." I 

 could find no larvae in the cavity, but there were several 

 small, pinkish, spherical bodies, which I took to be parts of 

 the fungus. The nature of the delicate layer of nutrient 

 substratum on which the hyphae were growing could not be 

 ascertained. The colour, sculpture, and velvety texture of 

 the ants and their timid behaviour are striking! v like those 

 of certain species of the neotropical funofus-orowino- tribe 

 c2 



