OBSERVATIONS ON THE MYRMECOPHILOUS COLEOPTERA. 91 



on this that I have taken the scarce and pretty Amphotis 

 (Nitidula, Steph.) marginata ; the sodden wood-dust and 

 fragments should now be again placed in the spot whence 

 they were taken. 



The next step is carefully to search all round the base of 

 the tree at its junction with the ground: if herbage grows 

 here, press it gently back, and narrowly investigate the space 

 between it and the tree; here may be found Mijrmedonia 

 laticollis, which, rolling its abdomen over its thorax, perti- 

 naciously simulates death, and thus often eludes even the 

 keen eye of the collector. Attention may now be turned to 

 the trunk of the tree : the inequalities in the bark should be 

 carefully peered into; snugly ensconced therein, and likewise 

 running among the ants, which it so closely resembles in size, 

 colour and gait, as to be with difficulty distinguished, the 

 beautiful Myrmedoniafunesta occurs. The glittering cohorts 

 ascending and descending the trunk in such admirable order 

 form, however, but a fraction of the vast army which garri- 

 sons the tree. It is more than probable that the collector 

 will, long ere his operations have arrived at the present stage, 

 have received ample intimation that a large proportion of the 

 colony is actively engaged on terra firma, and, unless he has 

 instinctively taken a precaution, the necessity of which I 

 ought, perhaps long since, to have impressed upon him — 

 namely, of binding the trouser legs and coat sleeves tightly 

 about the ankles and wrists — he will, I fear, have become 

 painfully aware that Formica is as zealous and persevering 

 an investigator of Homo, as the man is of the ant. Upon a 

 careful inspection of the ground it will be perceived that the 

 ants depart from and return to the nest by certain tracks or 

 paths ; these should be followed attentively for some distance, 

 and stones, chips of wood, or dead leaves, lying in or beside 

 them, lifted up and examined. 



