69 



Genus LXI. FORMIC J. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Antenna filiform, elbowed. Palpi four, un- 

 equal. Mouth armed with large jaws, an 

 upright scale between the thorax and abdo- 

 men. Sting confined to the females and 

 neuters, and concealed within the abdomen. 

 Males and females winged, neuters apterous. 



General Observations. 



Of this industrious race there are three di- 

 stinct kinds, the males, the females, and the 

 neuters. They differ in several particulars, 

 and especially in their size; the females are the 

 largest, the neuters, in general, the smallest, 

 and the males seem to hold a middle place be- 

 tween the two. The labour of the ant-hill falls 

 entirely upon the most numerous class, the 

 neuters, while the males and females seem to 

 have little more to do than to sleep and propa- 

 gate. After the female has laid her eggs she 

 s t eems to consider herself as acquitted from all 



