416 EEPOBT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



LIV. Myrmecophila Latreille (1807). 



Body sub-spherical or ovate, greatly convex above, wingless. Eyes 

 very small, resembling ocelli. Antennae rather stout, as long as the 

 body. Occiput almost hidden by the pronotum, which is large, wider 

 behind than in front, the anterior and posterior margins straight; 

 meso and metanotum, similar to the segments of the abdomen, some- 

 times a little wider. Anterior tibiae without hearing organ, un- 

 armed. Hind femora, ovate, greatly enlarged. Hind tibise stout, 

 shorter than femora, compressed, the upper margin ciliate; the inner 

 carina with four movable spines, the outer with two; the apex with 

 three or four rather long, terminal spurs. Cerci as long as or longer 



Fip. 1()6. Myrmecophila nebrascensia Brun. (After Lugger.) 



than the abdomen. Ovipositor short and stout. The male is more 

 slender and smaller in size than the female. 



A very interesting account of the habits of these little crickets has 

 been published* by W. M. WHieeler, of Austin, Texas, from which I 

 quote at length as follows: "My observations on the habits of 

 Myrmecophila began early in the March of the present year. The 

 little crickets were taken from the Formica or red ants' nests and 

 placed in artificial nests of the agricultural ant, an insect of much 

 larger size, slower movements and in many other respects more satis- 

 factory for purposes of observation than the Formica. 



"On April 3d I placed in the artificial nest twenty Myrmccophilas. 

 eight or ten of which had been squeezed or had lost one or both 

 saltatory legs during capture. All the disabled individuals were at 

 once seized and dispatched in so vindictive a manner, that I could 

 not doubt that the ants were irritated by the pungent red ant nest- 

 odor still clinging to the crickets. In an instant all the ants in the 

 compartment of the nest had gathered in little groups, each devour- 

 ing a Myrmecophila. The uninjured crickets made not the slightest 

 attempt to escape, but felt themselves perfectly at home as soon as 



• Psyche, IX, 1900, p. Ill, et seq. 



