NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN ANTS. 
Male. — -Length, 16 mm. 
Black. Mandibles, labrum, antennae, legs, coxae, petiole, postpetiole, first 
and last segments of gaster ferruginous ; apical margins of other segments of 
gaster ferruginous. 
Head longitudinally rugose. Thorax and node irregularly and coarsely 
punctate, almost rugose. Epinotum more finely so. Postpetiole and gaster 
very finely and densely punctate. 
Head broader than long, strongly convex behind and on the sides. Man- 
dibles short, triangular, inner and basal borders of equal length, the former 
concave, with a short tooth in middle, the point and basal angle forming broad 
blunt teeth. Clypeus convex, produced and feebly concave in front. Frontal 
carinae short, widely diverging behind. Eyes large and convex, occupying 
almost half the sides of head. Ocelli large and convex. Antennae long and 
slender. Scapes twice as long as first segment of funiculus ; second segment 
six times as long as first, the others subequal to apical which is one-fourth 
longer than the preceding. Thorax two and one-half times longer than broad. 
Pronotum short, convex in front and on sides. Mesonotum as long as broad, 
mayrian furrows deeply impressed, parapsidal furrows fine, but distinct. 
Scutellum broader than long, strongly convex above. Epinotum convex 
transversely and longitudinally, merged into declivity without traces of a 
boundary. Node broader than long, much broader behind than in front, 
convex in all directions ; a sharp longitudinal carina on dorsum ; in profile 
dome-shaped, the stalk in front as long as that behind. Postpetiole almost 
one-third broader than long. First segment of gaster broader than long, 
much broader behind than in front. Legs long and rather robust. Wings 
hyaline. 
Habitat. — Tasmania : Hobart (C. Lord, Dr. G. A. Waterhouse §), Frankston 
(A. M. Lea 3), Mt. Wellington (C. Lord), Nat. Park (R. Blackwood £ ? $ ; 
F. E. Wilson § ?). 
This very distinct species is found only in Tasmania. The 
colour and size render it easily recognisable from all others. 
The female is almost identical with the worker except for size. 
The very small scutellum is easily overlooked, and the wing 
pads are entirely missing. 
It is owing to the researches of Mr. R. Blackwood, of the 
Melbourne University, that I have been able to describe the 
male and female of this species. No other form of female 
could be found in or near the nests. Mr. Wilson found a 
populous colony nesting in a large rotten log, from which he 
secured the female as well as a large number of workers. 
Genus NOTHOMYRMECIA, gen. nov. 
Worker. — Slender. Head broader behind than in front. Mandibles 
elongate, not as long as head, broad and rather flattened ; inner borders 
straight to basal fourth then abruptly reduced to base, forming a short, concave, 
edentate, basal border, inner border furnished with ten or twelve small sharp 
teeth equally spaced from the very sharp apex to basal angle, between these 
teeth are minute denticles. Maxillary palpi with six segments. Labial palpi 
[ 17 ] 
a 
