178 EDW. JACOBSON, PTILOCEHUS OCHRA.CEUS. 



often the point of the bug's beak is put behind the ant's 

 head, where this is jointed to the body, without, however, 

 doing any injury to the ant. 



It is surprising to see how the bug can restrain its murde- 

 rous intention as if it was knowing that the right moment 

 had not yet arrived. 



After the ant has indulged in licking the tuft of hair for 

 some minutes the exudation commences to exercise its para- 

 lysing effect. That this is only brought about by the substance 

 which the ants extract from the trichome, and not by some 

 thrust from the bug, is proved by the fact, that a great 

 number of ants, after having licked for some time the secretion 

 from the trichome, leave the bug to retire to some distance. 

 But very soon they are overtaken by the paralysis, even if 

 they have not been touched at all by the bug's proboscis. 

 In this way a much larger number of ants is destroyed than 

 actually serves as food to the bugs, and one must wonder 

 at the great prolificacy of the ants, which enables them to 

 stand such a heavy draft on the population of one community. 



As soon as the ant shows signs of paralysis by curling 

 itself up and drawing in its legs, the bug at once seizes it 

 with its frontlegs, and very soon it is pierced and sucked dry. 



The chitinised parts of the ant's body seem to be too hard 

 for the bug to penetrate, and it therefore attacks the joints 

 of the armour. The neck, the different sutures on the thorax 

 and especially the base of the antennae are chosen as points 

 of attack. 



Nymphs and adults of the bug act in exactly the same 

 manner to lure the ants to their destruction, after having 

 rendered them helpless by ti-eating them to a tempting delicacy. 



The bugs are very sluggish in their movements, advancing 

 by little jerks, brought about by stretching alternately the 

 right and left hindleg, making brief stops between each 

 movement. 



