FROM THE ITOLT LAND. 



33 



strewed with the mangled remains of both combatants ; but he does no 

 appear to have ascertained whether the F. viatica carries off the Atta in 

 the pupa or perfect condition. Probably the former, since, judging from 

 analogy, it would appear necessary that such should be the case, as under 

 such circumstances the F.fusca'va. the nest of F. sanguinea appears to 

 form, as it were, an absolutely necessary part of the community. Probably 

 such*perfect individuals as are sometimes carried off by slave-making ants, 

 are not intended to form part of the living population. Mr. Bates, who 

 resided several years in Brazil, communicated to me some very interesting 

 accounts of the habits of various predaceous species of ants. Not only did 

 he observe the slave-makers carrying off pupse from the nests of more 

 peaceable communities, but he also witnessed the slaughter of the defence- 

 less species — their furious assailants tearing the larger and more weighty fe- 

 males limb from limb, and then carrying away the mangled remains to 

 their own habitations. Such, probably, is the fate of such living examples 

 as may be frequently observed vainly struggling with their more warlike 

 invaders. 



M. Roussel observed Atta cephalotes in great numbers, living in perfect 

 harmony, in the nests of F. viatica. 



Formica brunnea. F. fusco-nigra, cinereo-micans; antennis pedibus- 



que pallide testaceis ; squama leviter emarginata. 

 Formica brunnea, Latr. 'Fourm. p. 169, pi. 6. fig. 35. $. — Formica 



timida, Foerst. Hym. Stud. Form. p. 35. 15. 

 A most widely distributed species, being found in England, France, Ger- 

 many, Austria, Italy, Algeria, and also in Palestine. Specimens from 

 North America have also been examined, which I am unable to separate 

 from this species. 



Formica !bipartita. F. operaria. Rufo-ferruginea ; metathorace 



spinis duabus acutis minutis ; abdomine nigerrimo nitido. 

 Worker. Length 2 lines- The head, thorax, and legs rufo-ferruginous, 

 smooth and slightly shining, the eyes black ; the thorax much com- 

 pressed behind ; the metathorax obliquely truncate, concave above ; 

 the lateral margins acute, terminating posteriorly in an acute angle, or 

 short spine ; the scale of the peduncle oblong, notched above, incli- 

 ning forwards, and fitting into the oblique slightly concave truncation 

 of the metathorax : when viewed sideways, it is wedge-shaped ; the 

 abdomen ovate, and shining black. 

 I at first sight mistook this very distinct, and apparently undescribed 

 ant, for a species belonging to the genus Myrmica, to many of which it 

 bears a strong resemblance. In size, general form, and more particularly 

 its spinose metathorax, it approaches the Myrmicidce ; but its having a 

 single scale, or node, at once points out its situation to be amongst the 

 Formicidce. I much regret having only workers for examination ; and 

 although upwards of thirty were captured, not one possesses an antenna. 

 Had all the sexes been before me, I have a strong impression that this 

 LINN. PROC. — ZOOLOGY. 3 



