1892.] 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



23 



FORMICID^. 



Most of our English species come under the head of Mining Ants, 

 forming extensive burrows and excavations for their nests in various 

 situations; some in the earth, in banks (F. sanguinca, F. ftisca, and 

 L. niger), under stones (L. flavus), and some in decayed v^ood 

 (L. fuliginosus). The three non-mining species [F. vufa, F. congevens, 

 and F. exsecta) construct pyramidal nests of twigs, leaves, &c., above 

 ground. The Formicidse so far recorded in our district are 



Formica, Linn. 



rufa. Linn. — Observed in Delamere Forest; a nest under pine 



needles, E.C.T. 

 fusca. Linn. — Common in the district, B.C., E.C.T., W.G. 

 race i, cunicularia, Latr. — Taken at Greenfield, B.C. 



Lasius, Fab.=FoRMiCA, pars., Smith. 



fuliginosus, Latr. — Bowden, near Manchester, Delamere, B.C. 

 niger. Linn. — Common everywhere, B.C., W.G. 

 umbratus, Nyl., bvunneus, Sm. — Bowden; B.C. 

 flavus, De Geer. — Abundant everywhere, B.C., W.G. 



PONERID^. 



PoNERA, Latr. 



contracta, Latr. — This rare ant was taken near Manchester, by 

 Mr. B. Cooke. 



MYRMICID^, 



Very similar in habits to the Formicidae, generally excavating 

 nests underground ; M. scahvinodis often occupies part of same bank or 

 hillock with L. flavus. One species, Stennamma Westwoodii lives in 

 nests of F. rufa. 



Leptothorax, Mayr. 



acervorum. Fab. — Found in nest of F. fusca on Bidston Hill, 

 Birkenhead, by Mr. Henry Burns : it usually lives in colonies 

 under bark of trees. 



Myrmica, Latr. 

 rubra, Linn. 



race 2. ruginodis, Nyl. — Abundant near Manchester, B.C. 

 ,, 3. laevinodis, Nyl. — Bowden, in Cheshire, B.C.; Cheshire 



and Delamere, E.C.T. 

 ,, 4. scabrinodis, Nyl. — Common, B.C., W.G. 

 ,, 5. lobicornis, Nyl. — This rare species was taken at Bowden 



by Mr. B. Cooke. 



(To be continued.) 



i 



