ALIEN ASSOCIATES AND AFFINITIES 



wise, may have developed at last into the habits of the 

 permanent myrmecophile. This may be suggested, at 

 least, as a contributory factor in the natural evolution 

 of a remarkable feature of ant communes. 



A brief observation will illustrate the advantage 

 which some of the alien ant-guests find in the connec- 

 tion, and which must strongly tend to hold them to it 

 when once formed. Certain little crickets of the genus 

 Myrmecophila live with species of Formica and Cam- 

 ponotus, and a diminutive, nearly blind cockroach (At- 

 taphila fungi-cola Wheeler) inhabits the nest of the 

 Texas cutting ant. The behavior of these myrmeco- 

 philes shows that the surface of the ant's body must be 

 covered with an unctuous, highly nutritious, and, it 

 may be, antiseptic secretion, probably derived from the 

 salivaiy glands of the host-ant or other members of the 

 colony. This secretion is also spread over the eggs, 

 larvae, and pupae, and it seems to retard the development 

 of pernicious moulds, since these tend to grow only on the 

 larvae and pupae that have been isolated for several days 

 from the workers and queens. 



Both crickets and cockroaches live by licking the 

 surfaces of their hosts. The former remain on the 

 ground and reach up to lick the legs and bodies. The 

 latter climb upon the backs of the large Atta soldiers 

 and feed from that position. [W. 4, p. 14.] The ad- 

 vantage to the ants may be simpty the pleasure of the 

 massage and the satisfaction of being clean, although 

 there may be other advantages now unknown. How- 

 ever, we shall presently see that such affinities and 

 associations may exist even under strong disadvantages 

 apparent to human observers, at least. 



Among the ant-loving (myrmecophylous) beetles 



229 



