BEHAVIOR OF ANTS AND MYRMECOPHILES 411 



minutes she vigorously kneaded the patient's gaster, and worked 

 the stiff legs until at last the half -drowned ant revived." The 

 ants gather honey from blossoms of a pepper tree (Schinus 

 molle) and from Euphorbia setiloba, Echimus simplex, Ceanothus 

 cuneatus, and from aphids. 



Callows, after emerging, were carried out of the nest by older 

 workers "as a hint that they might now undertake the regular 

 work of the nest." 



Myrmecocystus mcxicamts was observed to lap the honey con- 

 tents of dead repletes, contrary to the recorded observations of 

 McCook on the var. horti-deorum. Myrmecocystus lomaensis, a 

 diurnal species, became violently excited when it was offered 

 bee's honey. 



Miehe (32) studied the plant Myrmecodia in Java in relation 

 to ants. Myrmecodia tuberosa possesses a swelling in the stem, 

 originating from the hypocotyl. This swelling is perforated by 

 a complicated system of cavities. One or more large openings 

 connect these with the surface, and smaller openings are also 

 present. In the inner spaces of the cavities numerous species 

 of ants take up their abode. These sally out when the host 

 plant is struck, but are not particularly aggressive. 



Forbes and Treub found that these cavities were developed 

 without the presence of the ant, in contradiction to earlier 

 opinions. Treub considers that they are useful to the plant in 

 transpiration. Kaesten regarded the swelling as an organ for 

 the economy of water, the wart-like objects (lenticels) which 

 line the cavities being absorbent organs, and Miehe also con- 

 siders them to have the same function. They are also supposed 

 to excrete water. 



One part of the cavity walls is light in color, smooth and 

 without tubercles, the other is tuberculate and dark in color. 

 On the latter surface flourishes a fungus, which in the opinion 

 of Miehe grows on the excrement of the ants. The ants have 

 their larvae and pupae always on the smooth surface, and deposit 

 their excrement on the rough part, a habit similar to that re- 

 corded by Von Ihering for the Azteca queens of the South Amer- 

 ican Cecropias. According to Miehe the food products in the 

 ant excrement must be important to the epiphyte. 



The fact that the ants drop their excreta on the exact place 

 where the absorbing organs are situated, and that this is of 



