A Monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. 207 



others longer than wide, the club four-fifths as long as the rest of the 

 flagellum. Pro-mesonotum one-third longer than wide. The thorax 

 is compressed laterally and narrowest at the meso-epinotal suture. 

 The dorsum of the epinotum widens towards the brow of the declivity, 

 and is excavated, so that the sides of the excavation form two obtuse 

 longitudinal ridges, diverging backwards ; the declivity is short and 

 almost vertical. The 1st joint of the petiole has a short peduncle, 

 shorter than the node, which is wedge-shaped, wider than long and 

 rounded above; the front face of the node is rounded from side to 

 side and vertical, the posterior face is slightly concave in the middle 

 and slopes forwards. The 2nd joint of the petiole is sub-globose, 

 widest in front, and only slightly wider than the 1st. First segment 

 of abdomen • a little longer than wide, longer than the remaining 

 segments taken together. 



Bulawayo. This species forms very populous nests in the soil, 

 generally in exposed and sunny situations. 



(S.A.M., R.M., G.A. colls.)' 



M. albopilosum, Emery. 



Ann. Soc. Ent. France, vol. 63, p. 24, £ , 1895. 



" 5 • 3-3*5 mm. Elongate, piceous brown, mandibles and articula- 

 tions ferruginous, pilosity long, fine and white, head and thorax very 

 closely punctured, dull, petiole very finely punctured, nitidulous, 

 abdomen shining, with a bluish sheen, punctured at the extreme base ; 

 head elongate, clypeus emarginate, antennae slender. The scape 

 extending back beyond the occipital margin ; meso-epinotal suture of 

 thorax moderately impressed, nodes of petiole subequal, legs shining 

 and pilose." 



Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Makapan, Leribe. (Weitzaecker.) 

 Umfulosi, Zululand. (Tragaeordh.) 



Var. Thales, Forel. (Plate V, fig. 61.) 

 Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg., vol. 57, p. 136, £ , 1913. 



$ . 3 - 5 mm. Black, tarsi, articulations of the legs, and flagellum 

 brownish, mandibles and sides of clypeus ferruginous. Sparingly 

 clothed with thin, white, semi-erect hairs. Head, thorax, and 

 posterior faces of the nodes very finely and closely reticulate-punctate. 

 Clypeus finely and longitudinally striate. Anterior faces of the 

 nodes of the petiole very finely punctured, abdomen smooth, slightly 

 shining, with a bluish sheen. Head a little more than one-quarter 

 longer than wide, sides feebly convex, posterior angles very rounded, 



14 



