138 '•'""•'• 



of ants. From this mimiciy it obtains protection from outside enemies, 

 both as much when away from ants as when with them. 



On the occasion when I found a small larva of the Nnhis sucking a 

 bug of another species larger than itself (quoted by Butler and recorded 

 by Poulton), it was in the close vicinity of a number of ants. This 

 may also have been the case in the observation made by Marchal Avhen 

 the bug was noticed sucking the eggs of white butterflies. But even if 

 this were not the case, the protection to the species obtained by its 

 mimicry of ants would be equally valuable. As, however, I propose to 

 write a separate paper on the mimicry of ants by other arthropods, I 

 will not labour the point an}^ further here. 



It is possible that the bugs may occasionally prey upon ants them- 

 selves (though this fact has not been recorded), which would justify 

 Janet in calling them " ant-mimicking ant-eaters." 



Literature. 



Butler, E. A. Ent. Mo. Mag-. Ivii, -57-61, 79-Sl (1921). 

 Donisthorpe, H. St. J. K. Eut. IJecord, xiv, 38 (1902). 



„ „ „ xxxiii, 24 (1921). 



Jauet, C. Rapports des Aniuiaux Mynuecophiles avec les Fourmis. Limoges, 



XXV (1897). 

 Eeuter, 0. M. Ofvers. Finsk. Vet. Soc. Fiirh. xxi, 141 (1879). 

 Sharp, D. Cambridge Nat. Hist, vi, 5'-)C. (1899). 

 Wasmanu, E. Krit. Ver. Ter, Myr. Ant. 181 (1894). 



„ „ Tijdschr. Entom. xli, 10 (1898), 



„ ,, W'isseiis. Mit. Bosnieu Hercegoviiia, vi, 709 (1899). 



ON THE NATIVE COUNTEY OF THE COMMON HOUSE-CRICKET 

 (GRYLLVS DOMESTICUS L.), WITH A DESCEIPTION OF A NEW VARIETY. 



BY B. P. UVAEOV, F.E.S. 



Brunner v. Wattenwyl, in his " Prodromus der Europaischen 

 Orthopteren " (p. 433), stated that the common house-cricket occurs in 

 Madeira, probably out of houses. More recently Dr. H. Krauss, during 

 his investigation of the Orthopteran fauna of the Sahara,* discovered 

 that this insect is C[uite common in the oases of that region, where it is 

 to be found under stones, on palm trunks, etc. Both writers, however, 

 were inclined to believe that the " wild " specimens have simply aban- 



*"Beitra<,' zur KenntiiibS der Orthoptereuftiuna der Sahara," Verb, zool.-bot. Gcs. Wieii, lii, 

 1902, p. -'6U. 



