the scape are a few short spines, bifurcated at the point. At the apex of each of the succeeding segments are a few much less conspicuous spines, which decrease in size from the basal segments outwards. The antenna is also thickly clothed with short hairs, and especially towards the apex with leaf-shaped sense-hairs. The clypeus is rounded, with a slightly developed median lobe and a row of stiff hairs round the anterior border; it is not carinated.

The mandibles have six teeth, those on one side being rather more developed and more pointed than those on the other. They decrease pretty regularly from the outside inwards.

The maxillæ are formed on the usual type. The maxillary palpi are six-jointed, the third segment being but slightly longer than the second, fourth, or fifth; while in Myrmecocystus the third and fourth are greatly elongated. The segments of the palpi have on the inner side a number of curious curved blunt hairs besides the usual shorter ones.

The labial palpi are four-jointed. The eyes are elliptical and of moderate size. The ocelli are not developed.

The thorax is arched, broadest in front, without any marked incision between the meso- and meta-notum ; the mesonotum itself is, when seen from above, very broadly oval, almost circular, rather broader in front and somewhat flattened behind. The legs are of moderate length, the hinder ones somewhat the longest. The scale or knot is heart-shaped, flat behind, slightly arched in front, and with a few stiff, slightly diverging hairs at the upper angles. The length is about two-thirds of an inch.

The following refers to a new species of mite which I have found in nests of Lasius flavus, and of which Mr. Michael has been good enough to draw up the following description.

UROPODA FORMICARIÆ, sp. nov.

This species, although it falls strictly within the genus Uropoda, and not within Kramer's genus Trachynotus as defined by that writer, still in most respects, except the very distinctions upon which the genus is founded, resembles Trachynotus pyriformis (Kramer) more closely than it does any other recorded species. It is, however, decidedly different, and is characterised by the squareness of its abdomen, the thickness and roughness of its chitinous dermal skeleton, and especially by the powerful chitinous ridges or wing-like expansions on the lateral surface between the second and third pair of legs.

Length, ♂ and o̟, about 95 millim.

The abdomen is almost square, but somewhat longer than broad, and slightly narrowed at its junction with the cephalothorax, from which it is not plainly distinguished. The extreme edge is a strong chitinous ridge bordered with a thick fringe of short, stout, curved hairs, as in T. pyriformis. The dorsal surface of the cephalothorax is also narrowed towards the front, and has a curved anterior margin bent down so as to protect the mouth, as in that species; it bears a few of the same kind of hairs as the abdomen, and has a chitinous thickening at each side. The abdomen rises almost perpendicularly from the marginal ridge. There is a central depression occupying the posterior half, or rather more than half of the abdomen; and at the bottom of this depression are transverse ridges, the hinder ones nearly straight, and the anterior ones bent in the middle, the central point being forward; at the sides of, but not in, this depression, are two chitinous blocks which seem to form a starting-point for the ridges. Anterior to this depression the central portion of the

creature, i.e. its longitudinal dorsal axis, is higher in level than in parts nearer the margin, and forms an irregular triangle of rough chitine. A broad chitinous plate or ridge projects on each side above the second leg, and between that and the third, evidently for their protection; it is probably flexible at the will of the creature, as in the genus Oribates.

The sternal surface has strongly marked depressions for the reception of the legs. The coxæ of the first pair of legs are largely developed, flattened, almost touch in the median line, and nearly conceal the mouth, as in the typical Uropodas. The genital opening of the male is rather large, round, and placed centrally between the coxa of the second pair of legs. The female appears only to be distinguished from the male by being more strongly chitinised, and by the conspicuous valval plate which occupies the whole space between the coxae of the second and third pairs of legs and extends beyond both.

The nymph is less square in the abdomen than the adult, and the border of hairs is absent; the margin is somewhat undulated, the concave undulations being so placed as to give free action to the legs when raised; the central depression of the abdomen is far less marked than in the adult; a slight ridge runs all round the dorsal surface a little within the margin; four ridges, two anterior and two posterior, run from the circumscribing ridge to a raised ellipse in the centre; there are not any plates for the protection of the legs, and the coxæ of the first pair are not flattened as in the adult.

This mite lives in the nests of Formica flava.

Description of a New Genus and Species of Phorida parasitic on Ants. By G. H. VERRALL, Esq., Memb. Entom. Soc.

SIR JOHN LUBBOCK has kindly forwarded for my examination and determination certain specimens of dipterous insects said to have been found parasitic on species of ants, which latter he has been studying with care as to their habits. Having given considerable attention to the family Phorida, I was agreeably surprised to find the parasitic specimens to be forms new to science. One of these is a new species of the genus Phora; the other I regard as possessing characters sui generis, and hence define it under the generic title Platyphora, at the same time bestowing on the species the name of the discoverer, who worthily pursues entomological researches, spite of many pressing public engagements.

The subjoined descriptions embrace the diagnostic peculiarities of the insects in question.

PHORA FORMICARUM, n. sp.-Nigro-cinerea, fronte setosa, caniculata; antennis mediocribus, cinereis; palpis magnis, flavis; halteribus flavidis ; pedibus totis pallide flavis, inermibus, tibiis intermediis unicalcaratis, posticis modice dilatatis; alis subhyalinis, nervo secundo simplici, nervulis vix undulatis. Long. vix lin.

Frons broad, grey, bristly, two large bristles being close to the eye-margin; down the centre is a deep impressed channel, which at its lower end joins a channel above the antennæ, and at its upper end a channel round the raised vertical triangle; the space between these two latter channels (comprising the true frons) is about once and a half broader than deep; on the vertical triangle are two bristles; the third joint of the antennæ is moderately large, ovate, grey; the arista short, somewhat yellowish, almost naked; the palpi conspicuous, all pale yellow, with a few short

black bristles at the tip; on the cheeks are some short black bristles.

The thorax is grey or brownish grey, broad, not much arched, the disk being nearly flat, and on the hinder part absolutely concave; on the disk there are no long bristles, but a dense clothing of rather short black bristles; along the side of the thorax between the humeri, the base of the wing, and the scutellum are some long black bristles, and two on the thorax just before the scutellum; on each side of the scutellum are two long bristles; halteres dirty pale yellow; abdomen bare, dull black, with slightly yellowish incisures; ovipositor polished black, long, slightly incurved and grooved.

Legs pale yellow, including the coxæ, clothed with minute black bristles; all the coxæ with two or three black bristles at the tips, the legs otherwise bare excepting the spurs ; femora flattened and widened, especially the hind pair, the hind tibiæ also slightly flattened and widened on the apical half; middle tibiæ with a long spur inside at the tip, and hind tibiæ with a small one inside and a very minute one outside; tarsi longer than the tibiæ, joints gradually diminishing in length.

Wings very slightly smoky, broad; second thick vein not extending half the length of the wing, thickened, but not forked at its tip; first veinlet with a steady curve; second very slightly curved at base, otherwise straight; third very slightly undulated; fourth hardly visible at base, evident towards tip, very slightly undulated; costa bristly up to end of second thick vein.

This species is readily distinguished by its simple second thick vein, channelled frons, small size, and by the absence of bristles on the tibiæ.

It is parasitic on Lasius niger.

FF