THE ANNALS
AND
MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY,
INCLUDING
ZOOLOGY, BOTANY, and GEOLOGY.
(BEING A CONTINUATION OF THE 'ANNALS ' COMBINED WITH LOUDON AND
CHARLESWORTH's 'MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY.')
CONDUCTED BY
PRIDEAUX JOHN SELBY, Esq., F.L.S.,
CHARLES C. BABINGTON, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S., F.G.S.,
JOHN EDWARD GRAY, Ph.D., F.R.S., F.L.S., V.P.Z.S. &c,
ARTHUR HENFREY,F.R.S., F.L.S.,Prof.Bot. King's Coll. Lond.,
AND
WILLIAM FRANCIS, Ph.D., F.L.S.
VOL. IV.—THIRD SERIES.
LONDON:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS,
SOLD BY LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMANS, AND ROBERTS ; SIMPK1N, MARSHALL,
AND CO.; PIPER AND CO.; BAILLIERE, REGENT STREET, AND PARIS :
LIZARS, AND MACLACHLAN AND STEWART, EDINBURGH:
HODGES AND SMITH, DUBLIN : AND ASHER, BERLIN.
1859.
370 Mr. F. Walker on some undescribed Ceylon Insects.
which was partly covered with Hydractinia echinata. Its generic
and specific characters are embraced in the following diagnosis:—
DICORYNE.
Char.---Coenosarc branched, clothed with a polypary and ad-
hering by a tubular network. Polypes claviform, of two kinds,
one sterile, the other proliferous, both borne upon the common
coenosarc, and issuing from the extremities of the branches.
Sterile polypes with a verticil of filiform tentacula situated be-
hind the mouth; proliferous polypes destitute of tentacula (and
mouth ?), and having the gonophores clustered round their base.
D. stricta. Stem rising to the height of about 1/2 an inch, irre-
gularly branched; branches ascending at a very acute angle
from the stem, Polypary slightly dilated at the extremities of
the branches, somewhat corrugated near the base, but without
distinct annulations. Tentacula about 16, in a slightly alternat-
ing verticil.
The only specimen of Dicoryne stricta I obtained was male.
The polypary possessed but little transparency, and, as well as
the polypes, was of a light brown colour. From the basal tubu-
lar network, besides the branched colonics, there also sprang
unbranched stems which ascended vertically to the length of
about a line, and bore each a terminal polype. These are appa-
rently young zooids not yet complicated by branching, though
many of the polypes seemed to have attained maturity, and pre-
sented the same difference of form as in the branched colony,—
being in some cases tentaculiferous and sterile polypes ; in others,
polypes destitute of tentacles, and loaded with gonophores.
The habitat of D. stricta seems to be entirely similar to that
of Hydractinia echinata*.
XXXIX.—Characters of some apparently undescribed Ceylon
Insects. By F. Walker.
[Continued from vol. iii. p. 265.]
Order HYMENOPTERA.
Fam. Formicidae.
Formica exercita. Faem. Nigra, densissime et scitissime punc-
tata, antennis subfiliformibus, scapo flagelloque apice rufescentibus,
* In Professor Huxley's beautiful and philosophic memoir on the
Oceanic Hydrozoa, just published by the Ray Society, he has proposed a
terminology, partly special for the particular groups which form the subject
of his memoir, and partly intended to apply to the Hydrozoa in general.
I would gladly have adopted several of Professor Huxley's terms in the
present paper, if I could have done so without accompanying them with defi-
nitions which would have inconveniently increased the length of these notes.
Mr. F. Walker on some undescribed Ceylon Insects. 371
clypeo subcarinata incisuris duabus anticis, coxis femoribusque
rufis, his apice nigris, alia fuscis, venis nigricantibus, stigmate
nigro. Mas. Gracilis, antennis apice rufis, pedibus piceis.
Female. Black, very thickly and finely punctured. Antennae
subfiliform ; tips of the scape and of the flagellum reddish. Cly-
peus slightly keeled, with a notch on each side in front. Legs
moderately stout; coxae and femora red, the latter with black
tips, Wings brown; veins blackish, in structure much like those
of Polyrhachis militaris; stigma black. Length of the body
4 lines; of the wings 8 lines. Male. More slender. Antennae
slender, red towards the tips. Legs slender, piccous. Length of
the body 3-1/2 lines; of the wings 7 lines.
Formica exundans. Mas. Nigra, elongata, scitissime punctata,
antennis piceis filiformibus corpore vix brevioribus, abdomine
longi-fusiformi, segmentorum marginibus pedibusque pallide pi-
ceis, alis cinereis, venis nigricantibus, stigmate nigro.
Male. Black, elongate, very finely punctured. Antennae piceous,
filiform, nearly as long as the body. Abdomen elongate fusiform;
hind borders of the segments and legs pale piceous ; scale of the
peduncle large. Wings cinereous ; veins much like those of the
preceding species; stigma black. Length of the body 4 lines
of the wings 6 lines.
Formica meritans. Mas. Nigra, elongata, nitens, pubescens
capite impresso, ore fulvo, antennis piceis filiformibus corpore
paullo brevioribus, metathorace elongato transverse impresso, Seg-
mentorum abdominalium marginibus posticis rufis, pedibus piceis
longiusculis, alis nigro-fuscis, venis stigmateque nigris.
Male. Black, elongate, shining, pubescent. Head with an im-
pression between the ocelli and the base of the antennae. Mouth
tawny. Antennae piceous, filiform, a little shorter than the body.
Metathorax elongate, slightly impressed across the middle. Pe-
duncle of the abdomen conical. Hind borders of the abdominal
segments red. Legs piceous, rather long. Wings blackish brown;
veins and stigma black, the former like those of F. exercita in
structure. Length of the body 5 lines, of the wings 6 lines.
Formica latebrosa. Mas. Testacea, antennis gracillimis, scapo
longissimo, metathorace laevi, abdomine nigro, petiolo testaceo,
pedibus longis debilibus, alis albis, venis stigmateque testaceis.
Male. Testaceous. Antennae very slender ; scape very long,
slightly increasing in thickness from the base to the tip, much
more than half the length of the flagellum. Metathorax smooth.
Abdomen black; peduncle and its node testaceous. Legs long,
. slender. Wings white; veins and stigma testaceous, the former
in structure like those of F. exercita. Length of the body 4 lines;
of the wings 7 lines.
Formica pangens. Mas. Testacea, scitissime punctata, capito su-
pra picco, antennis filiformibus corpore valde brevioribus, scapo
24*
872 Mr. F. Walker on some mdescribed Ceylon Insects.
brevissimo, abdomine elliptico, antice piceo, pedibus breviusculis,
alis cincreis, venis testaceis, stigmate nigro.
Male. Testaceous, slightly shining, very finely and minutely
punctured. Head piceous above. Antennae filiform, much shorter
than the body; scape very short. Abdomen elliptical, very little
longer than the thorax; fore-half piceous. Legs rather short.
Wings cinereous; veins testaceous, in structure like those of Ta-
pinoma erratica; stigma black. Length of the body 2 1/2 lines ;
of the wings 4 lines.
Formica ingruens. Faem. Nigra, scitissime punctata, capite mag-
no, mandibulis tarsisque testaceis, antennis corporis dimidio non
longioribus, scapo longo subclavato, flagello rufescente subclavato,
abdomine lato brevi-elliptico, pedibus robustis breviusculis, alis
cinercis parvis, venis piceis, stigmate nigro.
Female. Black, shining, very finely punctured. Head large;
mandibles testaceous. Antennae about half the length of the body;
scape subclavato, much more than half the length of the flagellum;
the latter reddish, subclavata Abdomen short-elliptical, very
much broader than the thorax. Legs short, stout; tarsi testa-
ceous. Wings cinereous, narrow, short; veins piceous, in struc-
ture like those of F. pangens; stigma black. Length of the body
2 1/2 lines, of the wings 4 lines.
Formica detorquens. Faem. Nigra, scitissime punctata, capite
parvo, antennis subfiliformibus corporis dimidio paullo longioribus,
scapo longo, abdomine elliptico, pedibus breviusculis, tarsis testa-
ceis, alis pallide cinercis, venis stigmateque testaceis.
Female. Black, shining, very finely punctured. Head small, a
little more than half the length of the body. Antennae nearly
filiform ; scape much more than half the length of the flagellum.
Abdomen elliptical, hardly longer -or brooder than the thorax.
Legs short ; tarsi testaceous. Wings pale cinereous; veins and
stigma testaceous; the former in structure much like those of
Tapinoma erratica, but the discal areolet is open on the exterior
side. Length of the body 13/4 line; of the wings 3 Hues.
Formica diffidens. Faem. Fulva, gracilis, aptera, capite nigro
elongato, mandibulis magnis fulvis, antennis fulvis subfiliformibus,
metathorace petioloque longis. abdomine nigro elliptico, pedibus
posticis piceis, tarsis posticis testaceis.
Female. Tawny, slender, apterous. Head black, elongate. Man-
dibles large, tawny. Antennae tawny, nearly filiform; scape
moderately long. Metathorax and peduncle long. Abdomen
black, elliptical, shorter than the thorax. Hind legs piceous;
hind tarsi testaceous, long, slender. Length of the body 2 lines.
The description is taken from an injured specimen.
Formica obscurans. Faem. Nigra, sat gracilis, scitissime punctata,
capito longi-quadrato, mandibulis magnis fulvis, antennis corporis
dimidio vix brevioribus, scapo longo subclavato, flagello fulvo sub-
Mr. F. Walker on some mdescribed Ceylon Insects. 373
clavato, mesothorace sublineato, abdomine latiusculo, pedibus pi-
ceis, alis albidis, venis stigmateque testaceis.
Female. Black, rather slender, slightly shining, very finely
punctured. Head elongate-quadrate; mandibles large, tawny.
Antennae; nearly half the length of the body; scape subclavate,
about two-thirds of the length of the flagellum ; the latter tawny,
subclavate. Prothorax and metathorax well developed; mesothorax
with a slight middle line. Abdomen broader than the thorax.
Legs piceous. Wings whitish ; veins and stigma testaceous; the
former in structure like those of Tapinoma erratica. Length of
the body 4 lines; of the wings 6 lines.
Formica indeflexa. Faem. Picea, gracilis, aptera, scitissime
punctata, capite sat magno, mandibulis parvis, antennis subfilifor-
mibus corporis dimidio non longioribus, flagello basi scapoque
testaceis, thorace subcompresso, pedibus fulvis, tibiis nigris basi
fulvis, tarsis testaceis.
Female. Piceous, slender, apterous, very finely punctured. Head
rather large ; mandibles small. Antennae slender, not more than
half the length of the body, nearly filiform; scape tawny, much
shorter than the flagellum, the latter tawny towards the base.
Thorax somewhat compressed ; metathorax, peduncle and its node
well developed. Abdomen mutilated. Legs tawny; tibiae black,
tawny at the base; tarsi testaceous. Length of the body 4 lines.
Formica consultans. Mas. Nigra, elongata, scitissime punctata,
capito parvo antice fulvo, mandibulis minimis, antennis piceis fili-
formibus corpore valde brevioribus, scapo brevissimo, abdomine
rufescente elliptico fascia media nigra, pedibus testaceis, alis cine-
reis, latiusculis, venis testaceis, stigmate piceo.
Male. Black, elongate, slightly shining, very finely punctured.
Head rather small, tawny in front; mandibles very small. An-
tennae; piceous, slender, filiform, much shorter than the body;
scape very short. Abdomen reddish, elliptical, a little broader
than the thorax, with a black middle band. Legs testaceous,
slender. Wings cinereous, rather broad; veins testaceous, in
structure much like those of Formica exercita; stigma piceous.
Length of the body 3 lines; of the wings 5 lines.
Polyrhachis illaudatus. Mas. Niger, subaurato-tomentosus,
clypeo subsulcato lateribus elevatis, antennis filiformibus corpore
paullo brevioribus, scuto bispinoso, scutello emarginato, meta-
thorace lateribus elevatis incisis postice bispinoso, abdomine lato
brevissime elliptico, pedibus robustis.
Male. Black, apterous, with slightly gilded tomentum. Cly-
peus with a very slight middle furrow, and with a ridge along
each side. Antennae filiform, a little shorter than the body;
scape very long, but shorter than the flagellum. Scutum with
two long sharp spines, which are directed obliquely forward;
scutellum shield-shaped, truncated at the tip, emarginate on each
side. Metathorax with a notched ridge on each side. Peduncle
374 Mr. F. Walker on some undescribed Ceylon Insects.
thick, widening hindward; two posterior spines, which are directed
hindward. Abdomen very short, elliptical, much broader than
the thorax. Legs robust. Length of the body 4 1/2 lines.
Myrmica consternens. Mas. Testacea, gracilis, nitens, capite
parvo supra nigro, antennis filiformibus thorace non longioribus,
abdomine subfusiformi, pedibus parvis, alis albidis, venis stigmate-
que testaceis. Neut.? Nigra, capite magno elongato, antennis
testaceis subclavatis, thorace testaceo compresso, abdomine brevi-
ovato, pedibus testaceis.
Male. Testaceous, slender, shining. Head small, vertex black.
Antennae filiform, paler than the body, not longer than the thorax.
Peduncle with two small nodes. Abdomen nearly fusiform, a little
longer than the thorax. Legs short, slender. Wings whitish;
veins and stigma testaceous, the former in structure much like
those of Polyrhachis militaris. Length of the body 2 1/2 lines ; of
the wings 5 lines.
Worker ? Black. Head large, elongate. Antennae short, tes-
taceous, subclavate. Thorax testaceous, compressed, narrower
than the head, attenuated and partly black hindward. Abdomen
short-oval, broader than the head. Legs testaceous; femora
mostly piceous. Length of the body 3/4 line.
Crematogaster pellens. Faem. Fulvus, gracilis, pubescens,capite
subrotundo, mandibulis latis trigonis, antennis testaceis clavatis,
metathorace bidentato, abdomine longi-elliptico, pedibus testaceis
breviusculis, alis albidis amplis, venis stigmateque testaceis.
Female. Tawny, shining, minutely pubescent. Head nearly
round; mandibles short, broad, triangular. Antennae testaceous,
clavate, shorter than the thorax. Metathorax with two short
stout spines. First node of the peduncle much longer than the
second. Abdomen long-elliptical, very convex beneath, longer
and broader than the thorax. Legs short, testaceous; femora
, sometimes darker. Wings whitish, ample; veins and stigma
testaceous, the former in structure like those of Crematogaster
castaneus. Length of the body 4 lines; of the wings 8 lines.
Crematogaster deponens. Faem. Niger, nitens, punctatus, capite
elongato subsulcato, mandibulis piceis latis trigonis, antennis bre-
viusculis rufescentibus subclavatis, thorace fusiformi subcompresso,
metathorace bidenticulato, petioli nodis conicis, abdomine rufo
fusiformi, pedibus rufis breviusculis, alis fuscescentibus, venis
stigmateque nigris.
Female. Black, shining, punctured. Head elongate, with a
slight longitudinal furrow; mandibles piceous, short, broad, tri-
angular, with minute teeth. Antennae short, reddish, subclavate.
Thorax fusiform, slightly compressed ; metathorax with two mi-
nute teeth. Peduncle with two conical nodes. Abdomen red,
fusiform, longer and broader than the thorax. Legs red, short.
Wings brownish; veins and stigma black, the former very strongly
marked, extending to the border, in structure somewhat like those
Mr. F. Walker on some undescribed Ceylon Insects. 876
of Formica rufa and of Crematogaster castaneus, but differing
slightly from both. Length of the body 31/2 lines; of the wings
6 lines.
Crematogaster forticulus. Neut. Niger, sat angustus, scitis-
sime punctatus, capite subquadrate, mandibulis parvis piceis, an-
tennis subclavatis thorace non lotigioribus, abdomine longi-ellip-
tico latiusculo, pedibus breviusculis, tarsis pallide testaceis.
Worker. Black, rather narrow, slightly shining, very finely
punctured. Head subquadrate, a little broader than the thorax;
mandibles small, piccous. Antennae subclavate, as long as the
thorax. Abdomen long-elliptical, longer and broader than the
thorax. Legs rather short; tarsi pale testaceous. Length of the
body 1 3/4 line.
Pseudomyrma? allaborans. Mas. Nigra, gracilis, brevis, nitens,
capite antice fulvo, antennis subclavatis pallide luteis, petioli nodis
magnis globosis, abdomine fusiformi suturis pallidis, pedibus
fulvis breviusculis robustis, alis albidis, venis stigmateque nigris.
Faem. Antennis clavatis, femoribus posticis nigris. Neut. Capite
lato, thoracis segmentis bene determinatis; abdomine longi-ellip-
tico.
Male. Black, slender, smooth, shining. Head tawny in front.
Antennae pale luteous, subclavate. Peduncle with large globose
nodes. Abdomen fusiform, longer than the thorax; sutures pale.
Legs tawny, short, stout. Wings whitish; veins and stigma
black. Length of the body 2 lines; of the wings 3 lines. Fe-
male. Antennae clavate. Hind femora black. Length of the
body 3 1/2 lines. Worker. Head broader than the thorax. Seg-
ments of the thorax much developed. Abdomen long-elliptical,
not longer than the thorax. Length of the body 3 lines.
Atta didita. Neut. Picea, pubescens, scitissime scabrosa, capite
maximo quadrata scite striato bituberculata, scuta gibbosulo, scu-
tello minimo, metathorace valde declivi, petioli nodo 2° globoso
lato, abdomine brevi-elliptico, pedibus fulvis.
Worker major. Piceous, pubescent, very finely scabrous. Head
quadrate, very large, twice the breadth of the thorax, finely striated
longitudinally, with two protuberances above. Antennae reddish,
subclavate. Scutum somewhat gibbous ; scutellum very small.
Metathorax very slanting. First node of the peduncle rather
narrow, minutely quadridentate; second globose, much broader.
Abdomen short-elliptical. Legs tawny. Length of the body
3 lines.
Worker minor ?. Head much smaller. Thorax less developed.
Second node of the peduncle narrower. Abdomen black, round.
Legs short, stout. Length of the body 2 lines.
This is probably a distinct species.
Meranoplus dimicans. Neut. Rufescens, convexus, brevis, latus,
scabrosus, pilosus, capite subquadrate, antennis clavatis, scutello bi-
376 Bibliographical Notice.
spinoso, metathorace bispinuloso, abdomine latiore nigro brevi-
clliptico, pedibus breviusculis.
Worker. Reddish, convex, short, broad, scabrous, pilose. Head
subquadrate, a little broader than the thorax. Antennae clavate.
Scutellum with two long acute spines, which are directed obliquely
hindward. Metathorax with two small spines. Abdomen black,
short-elliptical, broader than the thorax. Legs short. Length of
the body 2 lines.
Fam. Mutillidae.
TiphiA decrescens. Faem. Nigra, nitens, scitissime punctata,
antennis subtus rufis, prothoracis margine postico rufescente,
abdomine fusiformi subtus apice rufescente, pedibus rufis, coxis
femoribusque nigris, his apice rufis, alis cinereis, venis stigmateque
nigris.
Female. Black, shining, very finely punctured. Head a little
broader than the thorax; clypeus somewhat truncated, with a
transverse furrow at its base. Antennae red beneath. Hind border
of the prothorax reddish. Metathorax with two striae, which con-
verge hindward. Abdomen fusiform, reddish beneath at the tip.
Legs red, short, thick; coxae and femora black, the latter with
red tips. Wings cinereous; veins and stigma black; third sub-
marginal areolet extending almost as far as the marginal areolet,
about half the length of the third discoidal areolet. Length of
the body 3 lines; of the wings 5 lines.
[To be continued.]
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE.
An Illustrated Index of British Shells, with Coloured Figures of
all the Species. By G. B. Sowerby, F.L.S. Simpkin and Co.
1859.
We are glad to find collectors of British shells supplied with a
useful and beautiful manual of species at a comparatively small price.
Hitherto they have been unable to procure any work containing the
whole or any large portion of the species, without incurring an ex-
pense of many pounds. Mr. Sowerby now gives them the whole six
hundred species, well figured, and arranged in such a manner that
the reader can turn to a given plate and its opposite page, and learn
at a glance what he wishes to know of the localities, habits, and
relative characters of all the species of a given genus. The author
claims to introduce about fifty new species. Some of these have been
figured in other books as mere varieties, others are figured for the
first time from specimens described by Mr. Jeffreys and others in the
' Annals.' We are by no means inclined to decide on the specific
value of the distinctions asserted; but the author has left us in no
doubt as to what they are. We wish success to this well-conceived
. and well-executed endeavour to supply a public want.