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Psyche 
[September 
(7) So far as is known, none of the species ever take 
slaves. 
(8) The complex as a whole is limited mostly to xeric 
habitats in western North America. 
The only species placed in the obtusopilosa complex 
with reservations is obtusopilosa itself. In body form, 
pilosity, ethology, and habitat preference, it resembles 
the rest of the complex. But it also possesses coloration 
and gastric pubescence characteristic of the sanguinea 
complex. The male genitalia could add weighty and pos- 
sibly decisive evidence, but unfortunately no obtusopilosa 
males seem to be available in any collection at the present 
time. 
Both complexes share the clypeal notch character diag- 
nostic of Raptiformica, although in general this seems 
better developed in the sanguinea complex. Despite the 
presence of the notch, we felt that the two groups were 
very discrete from one another, casting doubt on the 
validity of Raptiformica as a natural grouping. At a 
late moment, we were led by a chance remark by Dr. 
Creighton (in litt.) to reconsider certain views expressed 
to us in an all-but-forgotten letter received in 1953 from 
Dr. W. F, Buren. Buren’s opinion then was that synonymy 
should bracket no less a pair of forms than Formica ( Rap- 
tiformica ) bradleyi Wheeler and Formica ( Proformica ) 
neogagates var. morbida Wheeler. Further, Buren implied 
that the taxonomic standing of Raptiformica and the 
Nearctic representatives of Proformica is due for recon- 
sideration in the light of this synonymy 2 . 
Checking the type material involved in this important 
finding, we can only agree with Buren’s suggested syn- 
onymy, which certainly will have a far-reaching effect in 
the simplification of the taxonomy of the genus Formica. 
We are not prepared to enter extensively into the taxonomy 
of the “Proformica complex” at this time, but a few of 
our observations bearing on group interrelationships are 
offered as follows: 
2 See Acknowledgements at the end of this paper. 
