Formicariidae 
rioid passerine binls, having long slender feet. 
the outer toe united at the base to the middle 
toe, full plumage on the rump, and a charac- 
teristic coloration; the South American ant- 
birds. The family is divisible into Thuunwiili /'-',' (ant- 
shrikes), /'/ -//i.V.V,, ,,,,,!- (ant-wrens), and t'lirniicariinir 
(ant-thrnshes). I'nder various names, the PormiearUda 
have been included with several different groups of birds 
with which they have little atlinity, as the /.nniiilir I'm- 
didce. etc.; and the terms FornucariidcK ami J-'rnif'-ari- 
inns have usually included a number of heterogeneous 
forms nou eliminated. The family as here limited is con- 
fined to the warmer parts- of America, and is highly char- 
acteristic of the Ncotrojiical tauna. Alsu Formicaridfe. 
FormicariinaB (fdr-mi-ka-ri-I'ne), n. pi. [NL., 
< Formiciirius + -iiiw.] A. subfamily of Formi- 
cariulfe, the ant -thrushes proper, resembling in 
form but not in coloration the old-world pittas 
(with which they were formerly confounded). 
They have a thrush-like bill, large stout feet, a very short 
sijiiare tail, sexes usually alike in color, and terrestrial 
habits. These ant-birds are confined to the warmer parts 
of America; the genera and species are numerous. 
formicarioid (for-mi-ka'ri-oid), a. and w. I. . 
Having the characters of the Formicarioidea; 
as an ant-shrike, ant-wren, or ant-thrush proper. 
Also formicaroid. 
H. n. One of the Formicarioideat ; a formi- 
carioid or tracheophonous passerine bird. 
Formicarioideae (for-mi-ka-ri-oi'de-e), . pi. 
[NL., < Formicarius + -oidea?.] A superfamily 
of birds, the ant-thrush series or formicarioid 
passerines, a group of non-oscine Passeres, with 
tracheal syrinx and schizopelmous feet ; the 
Traeheophona; of authors. It is a large series of 
some 500 species, confined to the Neotropical region. 
Leading families are the Formicariidce, Furnariido?, Den- 
drocolaptidce, Pteroptochidtv, etc. 
formicarium (for-mi-ka'ri-um), n. ; pi. formi- 
caria (-a). [ML.] Same as formicary. 
Formicarius (for-mi-ka'ri-us), n. [NL., < "for- 
micarius, pertaining to ants, (.formica, an ant: 
see Formica.'] The typical genus of ant-thrushes 
2339 
W liile the superiority of the ants as a ^n.np to tin 1 re- 
maining 11\ inenoptera, to allothrr inserts, ami to the n st 
of the anniilox' '^BUb-ktngdOQl." is undisputed, we are un- 
able to decide which .species of ant is elevated above the 
rest of the Fnrunciilr family. /';<. SVi. .!/., XII. 197. 
Formicidae (for-mis'i-de), . jil. [NL., < Formi- 
ca + -kite.'] A family of aculeate hymenopter- 
ous insects, of the series Hctcrogyna or Fortnica- 
r/a:; the ants. It is specially characterized by the form 
of the abdomen, the first joint of which (and in one sub- 
family the second also) forms a lenticular scale or knot of 
variable shape, serving as a peduncle to the rest. All the 
species are social, and live In colonies, consisting of males, 
females, and neuters. See antt, and cut under Atta. 
formicide (for'mi-sid), a. See formicid. 
Formicina (f6r-mi-si'na), n. [NL., < Formica 
+ -/.] A genus of ants, of the family Fortni- 
cida;. F. rufa, known as the horse-ant, is an ex- 
ample. 
formicine (for'mi-sin), a. [< L. formicinus, < 
formica, an ant : see Formica."] Same as for- 
micate. 
Every trading vessel in the tropics has its formicine 
fauna, and cannot help acting as a transporter of all sorts 
of ants. II. <). Forbes, Eastern Archipelago, p. 31. 
Formicivora (for-mi-siv'o-ra), n. [NL., < L. for- 
mica, an ant, + vorare, eat, devour.] The typi- 
Mexlcan Ant-thrush (Formicarius moniligcr). 
of the family Form icariidie and subfamily Formi- 
cariinie, containing such as F. monillger and 
many others. 
formicaroid (for'mi-ka-roid), a. Same as for- 
micarioid. 
Formicaroid passeres, a group of passerine birds em- 
bracing ten families not normally acromyodian, as dis- 
tinguished from tnrdoid, tanagroid, and sturnoid passeres 
respectively. A. R. Wallace, Ibis (1874), p. 4O6. 
formicary (f6r'mi-ka-ri), n. ; pi. formicaries 
(-riz). [< ML. formicarium, an ant-hill (prop, 
neut. of 'formicarius, adj.), < L. formica, ant: 
see formicarian, Formica.] An ants' nest or 
ant-hill ; the nest or burrow inhabited by a col- 
ony of ants. See ant-hill. 
In . formicary we can detect no trace of private prop- 
erty ; the territory, the buildings, the stores, the booty, 
exist equally for the benefit of all. 
Pop. Set. 3fo., XII. 198. 
This work they (the ants] canyon until enough workers 
are reared to attend to the active duties of the formicary. 
Science, III. 54. 
formicate (f6r'mi-kat), a. [< L. formica, an ant, 
+ -ate 1 .] Of, pertaining to, or resembling an 
ant or ants. Also form icine. 
formication (for-mi-ka' sh on), H. [=F. formi- 
cation^ ~L.forniicatio(n-'),<('formicare, crawl like 
ants, feel (as the skin) as if crawled over by 
ants: see formicant.] In pathol., an abnormal 
subjective sensation, referred to the skin, re- 
sembling the feeling of ants creeping over the 
body. 
formicic (f6r-mis'ik), a. [< L. formica, an ant, 
+ -io.] Same AS formic. 
formicid (for'mi-sid), n. and a. I. n. An ant 
of the family Formicidce. 
II. n. Of or pertaining to the Formicirtte. 
Also, fur M ii-iili'. 
Ferruginous Ant-wren (Formicivora ferruginea). 
cal genus of ant-wrens of the subfamily Formi- 
cworinat, containing such as F. ferruginea and 
others. 
Formicivprinae(f6r-mi-siv-o-ri'ne), n.-pl. [NL., 
< Formicivora + -ince."] A subf amily of the fam- 
ily Formicariida; ; the ant-wrens, it comprises 
small weak species with comparatively slender and scarce- 
ly hooked hill, the sexes unlike in color, the males being 
varied with black and white, and the females with brown. 
formidability (f6r"mi-da-bil'i-ti), , [< for- 
midable : see -bility.'] The quality of being for- 
midable; formidableness. [Rare.] 
A Mackintosh has been taken who reduces their fonni- 
dabiliti/ by being sent to raise two clans. 
Walpole, To Mann, II. 98 (1745). 
formidable (fdr'mi-da-bl), a. [< F. formidable 
= Sp. formidable = Pg. formidavel = It. formi- 
dabile, < L. formidabilis, causing fear, < formi- 
dare, fear, dread; cf. formido (formidin-), n., 
fear, dread.] Exciting or fitted to excite fear 
or apprehension ; hard to deal with ; difficult 
to overcome, perform, or the like: applied to 
persons or things possessing such strength, 
power, or capability, or presenting such ob- 
stacles to action or progress, as to discourage 
effort or inspire dread of failure. 
I swell my preface into a volume, and make it formi- 
dable, when you see so many pages behind. 
Dryden, Ded. of .-Eneid. 
One or two of the present ministers are pleased to rep- 
resent me as a formidable man. 
Goldsmith, Good-natured Man, ii. 
The master of such a force [sixty thousand troops] could 
not but be regarded by all his neighbours as & formidable 
enemy and a valuable ally. Maeaulay, Frederic the Great. 
= Syn. Deterrent, discouraging, fearful, appalling, re- 
doubtable. 
formidableness (f6r'mi-da-bl-nes), n. The 
quality of being formidable, or adapted to ex- 
cite dread. 
formidably (for'mi-da-bli), adr. In a formi- 
dable manner. 
formidoloset (for-mid'o-los), a. [= Sp. Pg. It. 
formidoloso, < L. forinidolomis, formidulosus, 
full of fear, < formido. fear, dread : see formi- 
dable.] Dreading greatly ; very much afraid. 
Bailey. 
forming-cylinder (fdr'ming-sil'in-der), n. See 
cylinder. 
forming : machine (for'ming-ma-shen*'), . 1. 
A machine used for bending tin-plate, and in 
making hollow ware. 2. An apparatus for 
shaping articles made from fabrics of various 
formular 
kinds, as huts from plaited straw. 3. A ma- 
chine for twisting strands of fiber into rope, 
formless (form'les), a. [= D. vomiloos = G. 
J'orinliiK = Dan. Bv.fontuos; n*fn>i + -lesx."] 
Wanting form or shape ; without a determinate 
form; shapeless; amorphous. 
What's past, and uhat's to corne, is stre\v'd with husks 
And/rm/c* ruin of oblivion. Shak. t T. and C., iv. 5. 
Ever as the shadows fell, 
Mniefftrmlenn grew the nnbreaking swell 
Far out to sea. 
William Morris, Earthly Paradise, II. 1S4. 
formlessly (form'les-li), adv. In a formless 
manner. 
His long coat hung formlessly from his shoulders. 
Homlls, Annie Kilbnrn, vi. 
formlessness (form'les-nes), n. The state of 
being without form. 
Formosan (for-mo'san), . and n. I. a. Of or 
pertaining to Formosa, a large island lying 
southeast of China, to which country it belongs. 
Our European greenhouses have been enriched by sev- 
eral Formosan orchids and other ornamental plants. 
Eimjc. Brit., IX. 416. 
Formosan deer. See deer. 
II. n. A native or an inhabitant of Formosa. 
formosityt (f6r-mos'i-ti), . [< OF. formosite 
= It. formosita, < L. formosita(t-)s, beauty, < 
formosus, beautiful: see formous.] Beauty; 
gracefulness. 
The thunder-thumping Jove transfused his dotes into 
your excenent/ori<m(ie. 
Sir P. Sidney, Wanstead Play, p. 619. 
formoust, [= Pg- It.formoso, < li. formosus, 
beautiful, (forma, form, beauty : see/orw, .] 
Beautiful; fair. Halliicell. 
O pulchrior sole in beautie full Incident, 
Of all feminine mQUbfofWMU flour. 
The ..Vine Ladies WortJiit, 1. 23. 
form-species (form'spe'shez), ii. Iii biol., a 
species constituted by a single stage in the 
course of development of a species which un- 
dergoes transformations, and in many cases 
originally supposed to be the only form of the 
species. 
formula (for'mu-la), M. ; pi. formula, formu- 
las (-le, -laz). [= '(j. Dan. Sw. formel = F. for- 
imile = Sp. Pg. formula = It. formola, formula, 
< L. formula, a small pattern or mold, a form, 
rule, principle, method, formula, dim. of forma, 
a form: see form, .] 1. In general, a pre- 
scribed form or rule ; a fixed or conventional 
method in which anything is to be done, ar- 
ranged, or said ; particularly, a form of words 
in which something is required by rule or cus- 
tom to be stated. 
Formulas are but decent and apt passages or convey- 
ances of speech, which may serve indifferently for differ- 
ing subjects. Bacon, Advancement of Learning, ii. 255. 
The memory disburdens itself of its cumbrous catalogues 
of particulars, and carries centuries of observation in a 
single formula,. Emerson, Misc., p. 51. 
Specifically 2. Eccles., a written confession 
of faith ; a formal enunciation or statement of 
doctrines. See creed, and confession of faith, 
under confession, 3. 3. In math., any general 
equation ; a rule or principle expressed in alge- 
braic symbols. 4. In diem., an expression by 
means of symbols and figures of the constitu- 
ents of a compound. See cliemical formula, un- 
der chemical.- Abel's, Cauchy's, Frullani's, Kum- 
mer's, Poisson's formulas, in math., certain formula; 
relating to definite integrals.- Approximate, associa- 
tive, characteristic, chemical, dental, dimidiatlon, 
distributive, duplication, empirical, etc., formula. 
See the qualifying words. Cotes's, Gauss's, Simpson's 
formulas, formula; for approximate quadratures. Eu- 
ler's formulas, the formula; expressing the sine and co- 
sine of an angle as the sum of two exponentials. For- 
mula Of Christison, a rule for estimating the amount of 
solids in urine, namely: Multiply the last two figures of 
the specific gravity of the urine expressed in four figures 
by 2.33 to obtain the total solids in grains in 1,000 cubic 
centimeters. Also called Haeser's formula. Formula 
of coincidence. See coincidence. Formula of Con- 
cord. See concord. Fourier's formula, the equation 
'** 
/sin MX 
sin x ' 
where x < Jir. Graphic, myologlcal, etc.. formula. 
See the adjectives. Incidence, coincidence formulae, 
formulae of geometry for determining the numbers of in- 
cidences and coincidences of different kinds under given 
conditions. Plucker's formulas, equations showing the 
numbers of singularities of plane curves. Sterling's 
formula, the approximate expression 
1.2.3. 
(7)' 
A 
formular (for'mu-lar), a. and n. [< formula + 
-or 2 .] I. a. 1. Of or pertaining to a formula; 
formulary. St. Formal ; of the regular or cor- 
rect form. 
