32 



ME. F. SMITn 0"N" SOME NEW SPECIES OF A"NTTS 



tions on the habits of one or two species are added in the hope of 

 contributing to the dissemination of a knowledge of the marvel- 

 lous history of the economy of this most interesting family of 

 insects. 



Fam. FOBMICID^E, Leach. 

 G-en. Formica, Linn. 



Formica compressa. F. nigra, thorace compresso, antennis apice 



femoribusque rufis, capite maximo. 

 Formica compressa, Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. 353. 2.; Latr. Fourm. p. 111. 



This species is found in Egypt, in most parts of India, in China, and I 

 have also seen examples from the Philippines. The worker major differs 

 greatly in form from the worker minor ; it is nearly seven lines in length, 

 is black, with the base of the legs pale red, its head being larger and wider 

 than the abdomen. The other form of the worker is smaller, the thorax 

 and legs pale, the head oblong and narrower than the abdomen, the latter 

 being frequently more or less pale at the base. Taken on the north shore 

 of the Dead Sea. 



Formica viatica. Sanguinea, opaca, antennis pedibusque rufo- 



brunneo ; abdomine nigro-fusco. 

 Formica viatica, Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. 356. 27 ; Syst. Piez. p. 404. 33. $ . 



— Formica bicolor, Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. 351. 5; Syst. Piez. p. 398. 



8. cJ • — Formica megalochola, Foerst. Verh. d. naturh. Ver. d. Rheinl. 



vii. 485. $ . — Cataglyphis Fairmairei, Foerst. Verh. d. naturh. Ver. d. 



Rheinl. vii. 485. c?. — Monocombus viaticus, Mayr, Form. Austr. 



p. 110. 1. 



This ant and the Atta cephalotes, according to the information that I 

 have been able to obtain, are usually, if not always, found in the same 

 localities ; and it would appear that, in some degree, they are dependent on 

 each other. It is now a well-ascertained fact, that other species, in the 

 fulfilment of their economy, require the aid of a distinct race, or rather are 

 dependent on slave-labour for the rearing of their young brood, and for 

 the performance of many other offices connected with the duties of their 

 forrnicarium. 



The connexion between the F. viatica and Atta cephalotes appears to be 

 similar to that which exists between F. sanguinea and F.fasca. The sub- 

 stance of the following account was communicated by M. Roussel to Dr. 

 N\ lander. M. Roussel observes that both species are common in Algeria, 

 that they live in numerous societies, and construct their formicaria 

 UtUfllly in banks, frequently at road-sides. It would appear that fierce 

 COmbatS take place occasionally between the Formica and the Atta;, the 

 former being always victorious, and carrying off captive numbers of the 

 Atta, winch henceforth become the nurse-slaves of F. viatica. M. Roussel 

 fr< quently observed evidences of fierce encounters between these species of 

 ants, having found the ground in the vicinity of the nests of the Altct 



