CHAPTER VII.

The Ponerida-The two British Species of Ponera—Mr. Smith's son's Discovery at Bournemouth-A Variety of Lasius umbratus (Formica umbrata) described-The Mutillida, or Solitary Ants-Mutilla Europa found in the Nests of Humble Bees-The Strange Noise it utters The Rare Methoca ichneumonides-The question, Should Mutillida be classed with the Heterogyna ?-Number of Species of Social Ants-Mr. F. Smith's Record and Estimate-Exceptions to the general rule of the Distinct Characteristics of the Families Formicida and Myrmicida-The Honey Ants of Mexico and Colorado -Also from Australia, Singapore, and Borneo-Anomalous Form of the Female of Anergates atratulus- Strange Constitution of the Colony of this Ant-Ants with Large Heads-The Harvesting Ants of the South of France.

THERE is a third nationality or family of the little people, the Poneridæ, forming a connecting link between the Formicida and the Myrmicida; for while they have only one node-which is raised to a level with the first ring of the abdomen, which latter is always more or less constricted-they have their females and workers furnished with stings, and the larvæ spin for themselves cocoons. These are represented by two rare species, the Ponera contracta and Ponerà punctatissima.

A year or two since it was thought that Mr.

Charsley, of Oxford, had discovered a new species belonging to this genus, a species which he named "tarda"; but after comparing it most carefully with the two familiar forms, I came to the conclusion that the supposed new species was identical with punctatissima; and I satisfied the late Mr. Smith that such was undoubtedly the case. So that the number of species in the three families of the division Heterogyna, of the order Hymenoptera, including the two Madeira ants, is thirty-three.

a

FIG. 12.-Ponera punctatissima. a, magnified; b, natural size.

1

I should, however, mention that Mr. F. Smith recorded in the Entomologist's Annual for 1866 a species, several representatives of which his son captured at Bournemouth, and which he denominated Formica gagates. In his Catalogue published by the Entomological Society in 1871, he omits it from the British list. I communicated with him on the subject, and he assured me that he did not consider it as a distinct species, but only a variety of F. fusca.

the females and workers, we find them differing from their royal consorts and daughters in being stingless. In size they are very nearly similar to the princesses, possessing, too, like them, the means of traversing the open firmament of heaven; and being also aeronauts, they too are furnished, in addition to their lattice windows near their antennæ, with the ocelli, the three-jewelled skylights (I have seen them radiant with the colours of the garnet, amethyst, and topaz), through which they keep in view and joyously pursue along the sunbeams their chosen brides.

Their married life is, as a rule, short, ceasing as they do to live ere their youthful progeny have come to days of discretion-nay, sometimes before, or soon after the honeymoon has set. Their career is frequently cut short by drowning, or they become the prey of insectivorous birds and spiders. When their life is not prematurely brought to a close, they live many weeks, and even several months; in this case, however, they have not left the shelter of their homes, being guarded and preserved by the workers, and, as a rule, are fed by these unwearied and unselfish attendants.

In the year 1877 I found the males of F. umbrata (L. umbratus) in the nest in the front border of the vicarage as late as November 20th. These must have been between three and four months old. In the year 1879 I discovered males in a nest of F. aliena (L. alienus) at Bournemouth in the month of November, which I should judge therefore to be upwards of three months old. I have also met with males in the nest of F. flava (L. flavus) in the same month, and hence of the same age.

As a rule, the males of ants do not live beyond the winter months. In confinement, however, their life may be prolonged somewhat beyond this limit. Sir John Lubbock has kept two males of Myrmica ruginodis through the winter and into the spring, both being captured on the 14th of August, and one living till April and the other to the middle of May.

It has generally been considered that the duration. of the life of a female is limited to a single year, but Sir J. Lubbock in his work dated 1882 mentions 1 that he has in his possession two queens which have lived with him since 1874, and must therefore be at least seven years old, and some workers he has had in his nests since 1875. Since the publication of this work, the Baronet has read another paper before the Linnean Society, in which he states that these ants are still alive (1882), so that the queens are now eight years and the workers seven years of age. I have had workers in my formicaria which have attained the age of between three and four years at least, and in my front border a colony of F. umbrata (L. umbratus) has been in existence for at least ten years, and until this year I have not noticed a single winged female, though I have observed with wonder thousands and tens of thousands of males and workers. May we not infer either that the workers are of the age of the period of my observation, or, which is more probable, that an apterous female, which has kept out of sight all this time, has borne a charmed life for this lengthened period, producing year by year the eggs of males only? In this duty she may have been assisted by the workers which lay only male eggs, when under

1 Ants, Bees, and Wasps, PP. 9, 10.

He doubtless compared it with the continental forms in coming to this reversed decision. I have done so, through the kindness of Mr. Saunders, who lent me a specimen of the Bournemouth ant, presented to him by Mr. Smith, for examination. This I compared with undoubted specimens of gagates from abroad which I have found in Mr. Smith's collection, now in my possession, and the difference between them is most marked. The Bournemouth ant is closely allied to F. fusca, but with a glabrous or shining abdomen, with a few scattered and bristly hairs, and piceous or pitchy in colour. The continental gagates is decidedly larger than fusca, very glabrous, and jet-like in colour, and with quite a fringe of strong yellowish-white hairs when examined sideways with a Codington lens. I find that Mr. Saunders, in his recently published Synopsis, has reintroduced it as gagates; but I think that my late friend exercised a sound judgment in excluding it.

What, then, should the ant be called, if it be not considered as a variety of fusca? I would designate it provisionally as a new species, Formica glabra. If such shall prove to be the case, we have as many as thirty-four species of social ants inhabiting Britain. There is yet one other form which demands a passing notice. Mr. Bignell, of Stonehouse, Plymouth, has recorded the discovery by himself of an ant new to Britain, which he calls Lasius mixtus. He first thought it was Lasius umbratus, but upon a reexamination, he seems to have identified it with the continental mixtus. He kindly furnished me with specimens they are marvellously like Lasius