74 
AUSTRALIAN FORMICIDAE 
as though on guard. When the nest is disturbed the large 
workers come out to investigate but do not show fight. 
< ‘ The raiding is done by the small workers. They run very 
fast and seem to work more or less singly, never in a body 
as is usual with robber ants. Frequently when leaving or 
returning to the nest they run about as though not sure of 
their direction. They work only during the hottest part of 
the day when the temperature rises above 90° Fahr. At this 
time the meat ant does not leave its nest. The large workers 
do not take part in the raids but remain at their own nest and, 
generally, are busily clearing the entrance. During the 
raids, which are continued for half an hour, workers of I. 
delectus are not to be seen. 
“On one occasion while watching a raid I stamped on the 
meat ants’ nest to see if they would attack the raiders. The 
meat ants rushed out and came in my direction but took no 
notice of the raiding ants.” 
In addition to the observations given above, notes are being 
compiled by Mr. Potter on other species of robber ants and 
some of the harvesting ants found in his district. They are 
of particular interest as the only ants known from that area 
are those collected by Mr. Potter. 
Family FORMICIDAE Latreille. 
Subfamily Cerapachyinae Forel. 
Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg., xxxvii, p. 162, 1893. 
Genus PHYRACACES Emery. 
Rend. Accad. Sc. Inst., Bologna, p. 23, 1901-02. 
Phyracaces crassus sp. nov. 
Plate XIII, Fig. 1. 
Worker. Length 7- 5-8 mm. 
Dark castaneous throughout, eyes and margins of thorax and node black. 
Shining. Mandibles coarsely and deeply punctate. Clypeus smooth. Head 
finely reticulate-rugose in front of eyes, smooth behind with large scattered 
punctures. Thorax, node and gaster with numerous scattered large shallow 
piligerous punctures. 
Hair reddish, long and erect on head and body, shorter and suberect on 
antennae and legs. Pubescence grey, apparent only on funiculi. 
Head as long as broad, broadest behind, occipital border feebly convex, sides 
more strongly convex, posterior angles sharp, a strong ridge extends along 
occipital border and is continued on the sides of the head to a point midway 
between the eyes and occipital border. Mandibles large and triangular, 
edentate, cutting edge sharp. Clypeus very short. Frontal carinae erect, 
narrowing behind, truncate then confluent to level with middle of eyes. 
