350 THE entomologist's record. 



the invariable defence of tlie beetle (and in a great measure of the 

 other myrmecophilous staphs), it belongs to what Father Wasmann 

 calls " the hostile persecuted lodgers," and they, of course, all require 

 protection. On April 6th, when examining my nest with a candle 

 lamp at night, I observed a Binanla running about. On April 18th a 

 Dinarda came out of the nest and walked about. On May 3rd I intro- 

 duced a specimen which I had taken from a nest of F. rufa, at 

 Weybridge, it protected itself in the same way as the specimens 

 belonging to my nest, entered one of the ants' galleries, came out again 

 and eventually disappeared into the hillock. Specimens of Dinarda 

 were observed on May 14th and 19th, June 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th. 

 On June 30th a Dinarda was seen to creep underneath two ants feeding 

 at a grain of sugar and steal a morsel. Specimens were observed every 

 now and then till August 1st, when I went away. 



Nototherta fiaripca, Grav. — This beetle was observed going in and 

 out of the galleries and walking on the hillock, &c., on April 10th and 

 30th, May 13th and l-lth, and June 24th. It exhibited a similar 

 defence as the Dinarda, but, as a rule, the ants paid no attention to it. 

 Xotothecta anceps, Er., was seen on April 7th running about near 

 one of the galleries, the ants did not appear to notice it at all. 



Thiasopliila amjidata, Er. — On April 14th a specimen of this beetle 

 was observed eating at the dead body of a cockroach that the ants had 

 killed. On April 23rd a Thiasopliila was dodging about among the 

 ants, who were very busy, and on the 24th several specimens were 

 about, going in and out of the galleries. On April 25th a Thiasophila 

 was attacked, when it showed the same means of defence as Dinarda. 

 Specimens were observed on May 3rd and 13th, June 4th, 6th, 11th, 

 23rd, 25th, 26th, and 28th. On June 26th a specimen was again 

 attacked by an ant, which it repulsed in the usual way. 



O.ri/poda furmiceticola, Miirk. — A specimen was observed on the 

 hillock on May 26th. The ants paid no attention to it. 



Mijriiictes piceits, Payk. — On May 3rd a Mi/nnetes was walking about 

 among the ants, and on the 4th I saw a specimen disappear down one 

 of the galleries. On May 14th a specimen was again seen walking 

 about, and on June 5th a specimen was found in the water-trough 

 round the tray. The ants never seem to pay any attention to this 

 beetle, moreover its shape and hardness protect it. 



Myriiu'doma humeralis, Grav. — On April 26th I introduced speci- 

 mens of this beetle which I had taken from a nest of Lasius fidi(jinosus 

 (the tree ant) at Oxshott. They ran quickly about, and when an ant 

 came near them they exhibited the same defence as Dinarda. The 

 strong smell which the species of Myrnwdonia give off when molested 

 (especially this species) w^s very noticeable. I placed several ants 

 from my nest in tubes and small boxes with the beetles and left them 

 together for a long time ; the ants never attacked them. I next forced 

 an ant to seize a hinncralis, which it did by an antenna, and then 

 dropped both ant and beetle into my nest. The ant dragged the 

 beetle, which was tightly curled up all the time, about for a short time, 

 but soon dropped it, when the beetle ran briskly about among the ants. 

 On April 29th, a humeralis came out of the nest, and after walking about 

 for a time went down one of the galleries. On May 8th I brought up 

 some more specimens from Oxshott, and put several of my ants into a 

 small box with them, the beetles were not attacked though left all day 



