THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 23 



BOOK NOTICE. 



" Kritisches Verzeichniss der Myrmekophilen und Termitophilen 

 Arthropoden mit Angabe der Lebenvveise und mit Beschreibung 

 neuer Arten. Von E. Wasmann, S. J., Berlin, Felix L. Dames, 1894." 

 Under the above title, Dr. Wasmann has given us the greatest con- 

 tribution to this interesting subject ever made, and one that must become 

 a classic in Entomology. The work is published in the form of an octavo 

 brochure of some 248 pages, and is gotten u]) in a tine style of the 

 printer's art. 



A few pages of introduction preface the main body of the work, giving 

 a short history of the study of myrmecophiles and termitophiles, and 

 stating the difficulties arising in the study of the matter and lying in the 

 way of the preparation of such a Catalogue as the present. The number 

 of accidental or transient visitors to the nests of ants and termites is very 

 large, and has formed a considerable proportion of several previous lists, 

 but the Doctor has eliminated this element from his paper so far as 

 possible. This introduction is followed by a tabular statement of the 

 number of myrmecophilous and termitophilous arthropoda mentioned in 

 the body of the work, from which we make the following extracts :— 



The entire number of myrmecophilous insects reaches 1,177 species, 

 of which 993 are Coleoptera, under which the family Staphylinidie is best 

 represented with 263 species ; the Paussidte (none of which are North 

 American) follow next with 169, then the Histeridge with 128, the Psela- 

 phidaj (s.s.) with 113, and the Clavigeridee with 89. Several others hold 

 from 15 to 40 species each of myrmecophilous habit, and in all 30 

 families are enumerated in this order. The Paussidae and Clavigeridfe 

 are, so far as known, almost exclusively myrmecophilous. 



The Strepsiptera are represented by a single species of myrmecolax 

 {M. nietneri, Westw.), which occurs in the hind body of ants in Ceylon. 

 The Hynienoptera are found in 39 cases, of which 22 are other ants, and 

 14 belong to the parasitic families Braconid^, Chalcididse and Procto- 

 truipidje. There are 26 species of Lepidoptera, 18 Diptera, 7 Orthoptera, 

 I Pseudoneuropter, 72 Rhynchota and 20 Thysanura. The Myriapoda 

 are doubtful or more likely inimical and accidental. There are also 26 

 myrmecophilous spiders, 34 Acarina and 9 Isopodous Crustacea. 



So much for myrmecophiles. The termites do not support such a 

 large list of species, as 105 kinds of insects only are here recognized as 



