OF WASHINGTON. 239 
original observations (published in the Tijdschrift v. Entom., 1887; 
Deutsche Ent. Zeit, 1886 and 1887; Wiener Ent. Zeit, 1889). He not 
only discovered the earlier stages of some myrmecophilous Coleoptera, 
but to him we owe also a great deal of information regarding the life- 
habits of myrmecophilous insects and their relations to the ants. 
As a result of his observations, Mr. Wasmann has been able to subdivide 
the genuine myrmecophilous insects (Mserkel's group 3) as follows : 
i st. Species which are fed by the ants and from which these derive a 
benefit in licking up a certain secretion. To this group belong, of the 
Coleoptera, the genus Claviger, and, no doubt, all allied genera and, fur- 
ther, the species of Lomechusa. 
2d. Species which are treated with indifference by the ants and which 
live off the bodies of dead ants and other animal and vegetable debris to 
be found in the colonies of ants. The ants evidently derive some benefit 
from this class of inquilines, and their behavior toward them is certainly 
not hostile. To this class belong most of the Staphylinidce (excepting 
Lomechusa and Myrmedonia], most of the other Clavicorn beetles (except- 
ing, perhaps, the genus Hetcerius and other Histeridce), and most species 
of the other Orders; in short, by far the largest majority of the insects 
recognized as myrmecophilous. 
3d. Species found only among ants, but which are by no means "myr- 
mecophilous" in the usual sense of the word; they like the ants as the 
wolf does the sheep, i. e., they kill and devour the ants and steal their 
eggs, larvae, or pupae, wherever they have a chance of doing so. To this 
class belong the numerous species of Myrmedonia, >ttedius brevis, and in 
all probability the genus Hetcerius and other Histeridce. The ants are 
decidedly hostile to this class of inquilines, and attack and kill them 
whenever they are able to take hold of them ; but these robbers are well 
protected, partly by their much greater agility and partly by their hard 
covering. The Myrmedonias and Qiiedius brevis, which are soft-bodied 
insects, carefully avoid mingling with the ants in their galleries, but hide 
like highway robbers near the entrance of the nest, or within the walls of 
the galleries, and watch their chances of attacking a solitary ant unawares. 
The Hetaerius, on the other hand, freely mingle with the ants ; their cover- 
ing is extremely hard and very smooth, and moreover their antennas and 
legs are retractile, so that the ants cannot do anything with them. As Mr. 
Lewis says, the ants evidently regard these Hetaerius as an unavoidable evil, 
against which they are unable to defend themselves, and they get along 
with the beetles as best they can. 
These groups just mentioned are by no means strictly separated, and 
many myrmecophilous insects cannot be classified at present. 
In North America myrmecophilous insects have been discovered since 
more than 40 years, and recorded as such by various authors in describing 
these species or otherwise; but until quite recently these records wfcre 
scattered all through the North American entomological literature. As 
far as the Coleoptera are concerned, Dr. John Hamilton ha's, with his ac- 
