1S7S.] 187 



(Orpliir) — in all, ten Gt/mnocerata. Among the Cryptocerata -. Notonecia glauca 

 (Orpliir), Corina Panzeri, C. socia, C. Fahricii, with the vars. duhia and nigro- 

 lineata, C. venusta. 



Thus, in these northern islands, the following families are quite wanting : Pen- 

 tatomidcB, CoreidcB, LygcaidcB, AradidcB, TinyitidcB, CimicidcB (= Anthocoridce) , and 

 ReduviidcB. 



Another time I will mention the Hemiptera-lloinoptera I found in Scotland. — 

 O. M. Ebutee, Berggatan, 8, Helsiugfors, Finland : IQth Becemler, 1877. 



Isote on the stridulation of Myrmica ruginodis and other llymenoptera. — At 

 Guildfoi'd, towards the middle of July last, I was in the habit of entertaining myself 

 by examining with a pocket-lens some individuals of Myrmica ruyinodis, which had 

 established a domicile beneath a wall, but were invariably collected on the blighted 

 spikes of certain wayside clumps of Cnicus arvensis and lanceolatus. When the sun 

 shone, these thistle heads became really objects of interest. You could see Aphides 

 thereon in various stages of metamorphosis, each with its rostrum plunged deep in 

 the sappy cuticle, and gathered round were the desiring ants, which, ever on the alert, 

 moved from one Aphis to another, watching and contending for each slowly-welling 

 drop of honey-dew as it appeared at the anal tubes ; two together often sucking the 

 precious secretion. 



Wishing to re-produce this curious scene, I cut ofP a thistle top or two, and 

 secured them, with the drowsy Aphides thereon, to the mouth of small phials of 

 water; at the same time carefully separating the ants, and covering them with an 

 inverted wine glass. The weather was hot and sultry, and these MyrmiccB were 

 probably irascible ; for they had not been long left to themselves, when a puny 

 individual was observed, placed head downwards, at the side, and near the inverted 

 edge of the glass, rapidly vibrating its abdomen vertically from the pedicle, and 

 simultaneously giving out a continuous singing sound, resembling in tone and in- 

 tensity the sharp whining of the little di^jteron, Syrilla pipiens. 



Concluding that the rythmical motion accompanying the sound indicated this 

 ant was a stridulator, I carefully studied its external anatomy beneath the miscro- 

 scope, and found the abdomen, contracted anteriorly and having corresponding 

 callosities, as though the skin were drawn in, was here produced and movcably 

 inserted into the second knot or articulation of the pedicle, which was moulded in 

 the form of a dark ring, and traversed by more than twelve minute, yet regular, 

 annular striae ; this formation was reproduced at the place where the second knot 

 articulated to its triangular antecedent, but with the striation less marked ; else- 

 where, the exterior surface was mei'ely punctured or wrinkled. The spiracles of 

 this Myrmica are minute. I would therefore ascribe the singing of the puny 

 (male ? ) individual to the friction of the first mentioned striated ring. To Mr. F. 

 Smith I am indebted for the specific name ruginodis. 



That instrumental musicians should exist in the FormicidcB presents no anomaly, 

 for apart from the hissing of questionable origin given out at times by companies of 

 ants, the solitary species of the parasitical genus Mutilla have the power of pro- 

 ducing true frictional cries, shrill and sibilant in tone, which characterize the winged 

 males, no less than the wingless females (?). Thia sound, Goui-eau considers, perceptibly 



