1898] PARASITES AND MESS-MA TES IN ANT-HILLS 825 



tenance in the nests of a certain number of forms. Lomcchusa 

 passes all its life with Formica sanguinea, which cares for the 

 larvae of this beetle as much as for its own. 



The search for the liquids secreted by Aphides does not usually 

 constitute a true case of myrmecophily. But it is possible that a 

 certain number of species of Aphidae have been so well cared for by 

 ants, and have found such advantages from this care, that they have 

 finished by no longer being able to live outside the ant nests, and 

 have thus become veritable myrmecophiles. 



It is probable that the search for certain coleoptera and the solici- 

 tudes with which they have been the object outside the nest, have been 

 the origin of their myrmecoxeny (Thorictidae, Paussidae, Clavigeridae). 

 The presence of Aphides in the nests of ants attracts aphido- 

 phagous animals, which thus become indirectly myrmecophile (larva 

 of the Coccinellid Brachyacantha ursina). 



The blood of ants is sucked by Acarids (Discoporna comata) which 

 perforate the abdominal membranes of their hosts, making slight 

 wounds. 



The incessant activity of all ants, the habits that certain of them 

 have of making long journeys, have led a goodly number of myrme- 

 cophila to use them for transport. 



The hairs of ants furnish to acarids who wish for transport an 

 easy method. This is the case with Uropoda cristiccps, which, 

 frequently enough, keeps itself firmly attached to one of these 

 hairs on the extremity of the abdomen of Formica fusca. 



The til^ial comb, so important an organ to an ant, presents the 

 interesting peculiarity of being used by an Uropode which, for this 

 I'eason, bears the specific name oi ptliiloctcna. 



The stem of the antenna furnishes a convenient hold for a 

 Thorictus, which crowds itself into a circular space formed by a 

 hollowing of the epistome and by the mandibles, and is thus carried 

 about as much in the interior of the nest as in the emigration from 

 one district to another. 



Myrmecophila, for purposes of transport, can also fix themselves 

 upon the bodies of ants and liold on by various methods. Ckwiger 

 fixes itself upon the back of Lasius, and gripping firmly with its 

 claws, is, in case of danger, rapidly carried from the superficial to 

 the deep galleries of the nest. An oniscid, noticed by Lund^ gripped 

 with its claws under the abdomen of Myrmica typhlops. Antenno- 

 phorus remains permanently on the body of the ant, and adheres by 

 adhesive caruncles terminating the six ambulatory feet. IpMs cquitans, 

 which is frequently upon the head of Tctrwmorium meridionale, does 

 not remain permanently in that position, but descends quickly to the 

 body and gets a fresh hold upon that. The nymphs of an Uropode 

 near to U. ovalis, glue themselves with an anal mucus to the dorsal 



