No. 429.] THE FAMILY OF FORMICID.E. 709 
work the aim of which is essentially practical. I have marked 
with an asterisk the names of the genera represented in the 
Palearctic fauna.! 
CHARACTERS OF THE SUBFAMILIES. 
I. Cloacal orifice in the shape of a slit; sting well developed or rudimental. 
$ Sting developed, though sometimes very small, but capable neverthe- 
less of being exserted from the abdomen. The first two segments of 
the abdomen usually modified, either forming together a two-jointed 
pedicel, or the first alone (petiole) forming the pedicel, the second 
(postpetiole) being merely constricted posteriorly and articulating 
ith a spheroidal surface of the third segment, which is usually 
transversely striated (stridulatory organ) ; rarely the second segment 
is not appreciably modified. 
T Nymphs usually enveloped in a cocoon; pedicel consisting of a 
single segment, more rarely of two, but in this case the frontal 
Carine are very close to each other and do not cover the inser- 
tions of the antenne (Doryline) or the mandibles are linear 
and denticulate (Myrmecia). 
a. Frontal carinz very close to each other, almost vertical, not at 
all covering the antennal insertions (except Acanthostichus) ; 
abdominal pedicel of one or two segments. In the male the 
genitalia are completely retractile and the subgenital lamina 
is usually (perhaps always) furcate; cerci absent 
Ist subfamily, DoRYLINE 
b. Frontal carinze separated or close together; in the latter case 
they are anteriorly to form an oblique or horizontal 
lamina, covering in part the insertion of the antenne; 
abdominal sediel of a single segment (except Myrmecia) ; 
copulatory organs of the male incompletely retractile; sub- 
enital lamina never furcate (except in Paraponera); cerci 
nearly always present — . . 2d subfamily, PONERIN.E 
tt bene naked; pedicel of two segments; rarely the postpetiole 
attached to the following segment over its whole extent. 
F rontal carinz usually separated from each other. In the male 
the copulatory organs are almost always exserted (being entirely 
retractile only in certain genera of the group Solenopsidii); 
cerci nearly always present (except Anergates) 
3d subfamily, MyRMICINE 
! In addition, I have indicated by heavy type, in the translation, the names of 
all genera known to be represented in the ant fauna of the United States. — 
W. M. WHEELE 
