2 38 I Ndvembcr, 



nil the conditions of stridulation of a yiolin, the rostrum working as a violin 

 bow. lien- Renter adds it is likely that other species of Reduviidce stridulate 

 besides those hitherto noticed, and that it is probable the soiiud is caused in all by- 

 means like those in Coranus. — J. W. Doitglas, Lee : September Ith, 187i'. 



On the resemhiance to ants among the Hemiptera. — In the same volume, p. 15G, 

 Herr Reuter has some remarks on the resemblance of certain Hemiptera to ants, 

 especially referring to the apterous females of Systellonotus triguttatus, L., which 

 sex only is extremely like the workers of Formica fusca, the males being furnished 

 with ample wings. When the " British Hemiptera " was in preparation, females 

 were not accessible for description, but I caught some in time to put a figure 

 on plate 12, and, in the 2nd volume of this Magazine, p. 30, I gave an account 

 of their capture in the galleries of Formica fusca. Of the nature of the food 

 of this species nothing appears to be known. The Capsina are believed to be 

 all phytophagous, but in the present species the inquiline habitat and the imitation 

 of the ants in structure and agility, both by the adult female and the early forms 

 (Herr Renter seems to think that the last is so in both sexes), seems to point to the 

 food being either the ants themselves — larvae or pupa) probably — or to some nourish- 

 ment brought by the ants into their nest. I have (I. c.) suggested the former, and 

 hoped that the matter would ere this have been elucidated by some Hymenopterist, 

 but it still requires an investigator. 



Herr Renter also remarks on the similarity to ants of both sexes of Diplacus 

 alho-ornatus Still., and Myrmecoris gracilis, Sahib. Both are very rare, and Herr 

 Router suggests that by analogy they should bo sought for in ants' nests. The latter 

 species he once found near to a nest of Formica rufa. Both have yet to be found 

 in Britain. 



Camaronotus cinnamopterus, which in both sexes is very like a small Formica 

 rufa, as noticed in the " British Hemiptera," p. 359, is constantly found on trees, 

 &c., in company with that ant. 



Myrmedohia coleoptrata, Fall., was found on a bank at Highgate, in company 

 with small black ants, but not in their nests. Neither sex is like an ant, and the 

 apterous female resembles the Coleopterous Alexia pilifera, which was found at the 

 same time and place. But, as Herr TicfPenbach found the bugs i7i the ants' nests, 

 it is certain that this want of similarity is no bar to the safety of the lodgers. — Id. 



f The British species of Chrysopa examined with regard to their powers of emitting 



had odours.- — -The beautiful ' lace wing ' or ' golden eye ' insects foi-ming this genus 

 have, from the days of tlio earliest naturalists, laboured under the stigma of emitting 

 disgusting odours, and have thus acquired the popular name of ' stink-flies.' Upon 

 the principle that one or two notoriously bad characters in a community give a bad 

 name to the whole, many persons unjustly condemn all 'golden eyes' individually 

 and specifically, and I have often been surpi-ised to find how deep-rooted is the belief 

 in their universally noxious habits even among observant field entomologists. Several 

 writers on the genus (including myself) have frequently pointed out that it is only 

 some few species that have the power of emitting these odours when handled. 

 Durhig this summer I determined to test this subject with regard to our native 

 species. Of the genus, as it now stands, wo have twelve species, and I have examined 



