326 NATURAL SCIENCE [May 



crest of the femur of the second foot of Lasius mirtus, in the same 

 manner as the nymphs, and similar species, ghie themselves upon 

 other insects. 



The transport of the progeny of ants is also utilised by certain 

 myrmecophila, which are secure in fixing on to the eggs, larvae, 

 nymphs, or cocoons, to remain near the ants and to be installed in 

 a safe place and in the best parts of the nest. This is perhaps the 

 case with Laelaps oopMlvs, which fixes itself on the egg packets : it 

 is with that of Glaviger which so frequently fixes itself upon the 

 larvae, with Antemi02'>horus which fixes sometimes upon the nymphs, 

 with Uropoda cristicejys which can fix itself momentarily upon a cocoon 

 by holding a fold closely between the coxa of its antenniform feet. 



The means of defence of ants serve indirectly to protect animals 

 which live in their nests. They serve, indirectly again, to protect 

 those animals which mimic the ants, whether myrmecophilous or not. 

 Myrmecoid animals can be protected by this resemblance, for example, 

 against insectivorous birds which do not eat ants. This mimicry 

 may be more or less pronounced. There are plenty of examples 

 among the Araneids iSalticus myrmicaeformis, Myrmecia vertehrata), 

 among the Orthoptera {Myrmecophana fallax), the Heteroptera, in 

 which a certain number have the larvae at the same time both 

 myrmecoid and myrmecophagous, and among the Coleoptera {Clervs 

 fornimtus and Myrmccomoca), 



Thanks to their means of defence, ants are not attacked by 

 certain animals, or can defend themselves perfectly against them. 

 Thus, even with animals which are powerfully armed, such as 

 spiders, ants often come off victorious in a hand to hand conflict. 



In spite, however, of the means of defence that they possess, 

 ants by reason of causes whicli in other respects are a power to 

 them, have become the normal prey of a great number of enemies. 

 The length and frequency of their travels expose them to danger 

 from the funnels dug in the sand by the larvae of Neuroptera 

 {Myrmeleon formicarius) and by dipterous larva?. {Lampromya m%k%). 

 They are also liable to be seized by beetle larvae {Cicindela) hidden 

 in vertical holes, and to become entangled by the antennae in the 

 capture threads that certain spiders (Theridion riparium) attach to 

 the ground. Their method of travel in single file, the liindrance in 

 this case that is caused by the heavy burdens they carry, also exposes 

 them to be carried off individually by spiders like Zodarion elcgans, 

 exactly as a man in a column of porters is sometimes carried off by 

 a tiger. Again, at the time of egress, and especially whilst they are 

 absorbed in the excitement of battle, ants are exposed to the attacks 

 of certain Hymenoptera, of which the offspring are entomopliagons 

 (eggs of Elasmoi^oma berolincnse are deposited in the abdomen of 

 Formica rufa). 



