642 
THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 
males are winged, and the queens are much larger than 
either the workers or males. 
The Honey-ant, Myrmecocystus melliger (Myr-mec-o-cys'- 
tus mel'li-ger).—This ant exhibits a striking peculiarity. 
One form of the workers has its abdomen 
enlarged to the size of a currant and filled 
with honey (Fig. 766). This species lives in 
high altitudes in the southwestern part of 
Fig. 766. our country, and builds nests in the form 
of little mounds. The honey-bearing individuals are found 
clinging to the roofs of their chambers, and are merely storing 
vats for a sort of honey which the other workers collect from 
galls that grow on oak-trees and feed to them. When the 
season for obtaining this food is past, these living cells 
disgorge their supply through their mouths for the use of 
their hungry fellows. 
Family PONERID^E (Po-ner'i-dae). 
The Ponerids ( Po-ne f rids ). 
The ants of this family resemble those of the preceding 
family in that the peduncle of the abdomen consists of a 
single segment, but differ in having the abdomen con¬ 
stricted between the second and third 
abdominal segments (Fig. 767), and in 
the possession of a sting by the queens fig. 7 6 7 .-a Ponerid. 
and workers. The pupa state is passed within the cocoon. 
But few species belonging to this family have been described 
in this country, and most of them are rare. Their favorite 
nesting-place is beneath stones. 
Family MYRMICID^: (Myr-mic'i-dae). 
The Myrmicids (Myr-mi'cids ). 
The ants of this family are easily recognized by the fact 
that with them the peduncle of the abdomen consists of two 
