AMERICAN HYMENOrTERA. 289 



positions in early spring, attended by these yellow ants. They always 

 seemed to be in good condition, (as Dr. Leidy says were also the aphides 

 observed by hiui), were plump and active, as though having weathered 

 the winter in robust health. It is not improbable, considering the 

 habits of our F. rufa, that aphides are domesticated within their nests, 

 and could be found in the early spring. The fact that aphides are thus 

 found in nests of Lasiu.-i Jiavtia, indicates that for at least the latter 

 part of the winter they contribute to the food supply of the ants. The 

 same conclusion would be drawn from a similar fact in the economy of 

 F. rufa. It is to be hoped that this point will receive attention from 

 some observer who can have access to the hills in the early mouths of 

 the year. 



The coleopterous larva alluded to by Dr. Leidy was almost six niilli- 

 meters (about one-fourth of an inch), long, and was covered on the 

 back with a thick white cotton-like secretion. It was also carefully 

 attended by the ants, which were frequently observed to stroke it with 

 their antennas. It is a point to be investigated, whether like larvae 

 similarly attended, may not be found in spring-time within the nests 

 of rufa. 



L.c|>i<loi>tera larvse with Ants.— I introduce here as bearing 

 upon the general matter of ant food, and the relation of ants to myrmeco- 

 philous insects, the following observation. During the early summer 

 of 1877, I had frequent opportunity to note the habits of a large 

 colony of black, shining ants, Formica suhscn'cea , Say, whose formi- 

 cary is established at the edge of a grove on the farm of Mr. George 

 B. Lownes, Delaware Co., Pa., nine miles from Philadelphia. The ants 

 were found scattered through the woods, within a circuit of many rods 

 from the nest. June 18th, I observed a column of these ants ascend- 

 ing a young wild-cherry tree, near which grew several tall stalks of 

 the black snake-root or bug-bane, Cimiclfuga raceniosa. While watch- 

 ing the ascending column I noticed an ant moving upon the round 

 blossoms of this plant. Attracted by some peculiarity in its niove- 

 n)ents I fixed my attention upon it, and saw it to be in attendance 

 upon a small green grub about one-half inch long, which proved to 

 be the larva of a butterfly probably some species of Lyca3nid;\3. The 

 lower segments of the abili)men were continually gently stroked by the 

 antenujtt, in the t'aniiliar inaiiiicr of ants when soliciting honey-dew 

 from aphides. This novel behaviour was of such interest that I placed 

 the ant under close continurius observation for more than two hours. 

 During this time the strokes were repeatedly interrupted by short ex- 



