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90 ANTS AND TN£TR WAYS

and extensive coUectioo of these two attractive groups. For
instance, we cannot but be struck with the similarity between
the genus Apterogpia of the sohtary group, and the genus
Myrmecia of the social group, not only in their form i
sculpture, but in the neuration of the upper wings, which
contain but one recurrent nervure, which distinction the
ApUrogyna share, I believe, with the whole tribe of the
social ants.
With reference to the number of species of social ants,
foreign as well as British, there is much uncertainty.
Smith, in 1858, mentions ' that he had thus far recorded 6go
species, and he has expressed his conviction that with
the actual number we are probably but slightly acquainted.
He adds : ' The raetropohs of the group undoubtedly
lies in the tropics, and when we reflect upon the obser-
vation of Mr. Bates, who has collected for some years i
Brazil, " I think the number in the valley of the Amazo
alone cannot be less than 400 species," how limited
must our present knowledge of the group be ! The
imagination is unable even to guess at the probable amount
of species.'

I myself forwarded three species to the British Museum
sent me from West Afirica, which were not found in the
national collection, and for which there was no recognised
designation.
The following is Mr. Smith's estimate of the number
of species of ants:'' — 'In Great Britain, 32 species have
been discovered. In the year 1803 the French naturalist,
Latreille, described loz species, that number being all then
discovered of the ants of the world. In 1858, in my
own work on the ants, 1000 species are enumerated' (i.e.
