190 



NOTICES BIOLOGIQUES SUR LES FOURMIS MEXICAINES 



par le Prof. l¥.-ll. IVliceler, 



de l'Université d'Austiu (Texas) 



Cette notice a été présentée par M. le D' Au^. Forci. 



Les fourmis citées ont été décrites par le D'' A. Forel dans le n° IV 

 (séance d'avril 1901) des Annales de la Soc. ent. belg. 



NOTES ON MEXICAN ANTS COLLEGTED BY W.-M. WHEELER. 



1. Eciton crassicorne Smith. 



Foraging troops of this large and beautiful species were foiiod at 

 Cuernavaca (Dec. 27) and at Queietaro (Dec. 29). In the former 

 locality tliey were moving along over and imder the dead leaves near 

 a stonewall und preying on the nests of a Pheidole and some small 

 Carabid beelles. At Queretaro a troop was seen robbing a nest of 

 Pogonomyrmex harbatus var. molifaciens. The Ecitons killed 

 and carried ihe agricultural ants to iheir own nest which was under 

 a large flat stone a few yards away. 



2. Eciton Sumichrasti Norton. 



Cuernavaca, Dec. 27. A single nest found under a la? ge stone. The 

 workers were swarming inmasses like jE'. Schmitti Emery, which 

 this species very closely resembles, and were guarding great numbers 

 of eggs. The queen of the nest was not found as the galleries extended 

 into such hard soil that excavation was very difficult. 



3. Odontomachus clarus Rog. var. 



Cuernavaca, Dec. 25-27. Colonies containing from about 50-100 anis 

 were common under stones. In the nests there were usually several 

 cocoons which the ants hastily removed. The peculiar leaping habit 

 was not exhibited very freely, probably because the weather was not 

 very warm. 



4. Ponera opaciceps Mayr. 



Cuernavaca, Dec. 26. Common under stones in moist, shady places, 

 especially in a marshy spot near the head of one of the barrancas. 

 The nests, consisting of afew irregular galleries, ail contained larvae 

 and pupae. Thèse resemble ihe corresponding stages of P. coarciata 

 except that the larvae hâve fewer pairs of dorsal adhesive tubercles. 

 The ants are active and remove their oflfspring with considérable haste 

 when the nest is disturbed. 



ANNALES DE LA SOC. ENTOM. DE BELGIQUE, T. XLV, 3 VU 1901 17 



