114 



PSYCHE. 



[October, igoo. 



the thorax. It often stands on its hind 

 legs, as represented in the figure, and 

 places its fore legs on the ant's leg, in 

 order to reach the femur or tibia. For 

 very obvious reasons, it avoids nib- 

 bling at or even approaching the ant's 

 head. It is always alert, as if perpet- 

 ually aware of clanger and ready to 

 dodge at the slightest movement made by 

 the ant. 



The crickets do not derive all their 

 sustenance from cleansing their hosts. 

 In earthen nests they are often seen 

 haunting even the galleries that have 

 been abandoned by the ants, scrutiniz- 

 ing the walls and nibbling at them from 

 time to time. There can be no doubt 

 that they find here the same substance 

 which covers the ants, for the walls of 

 the galleries of a populous nest soon be. 



Myrtnccophila in the act of feeding on tlie integumentary secretion of the agricnltural ant. 



Occasionally in the narrow confines come greasy from the attrition of the 



of an artificial nest the ants do succeed constantly passing ants. Sometimes 



in capturing and devouring one of their the crickets may be seen nibbling at 



vigilant little guests, but the fact, that dead ants that have been temporarily 



of tiie eleven sound crickets left after abandoned in the galleries or placed on 



the above observation was made, eight the kitchen-midden of the nest. The 



were still alive June 22nd, when I had intestine of a Myrmecophila which I 



to discontinue my observations for the dissected was found to contain oil-glob- 



summer, shows that the crickets are ex- ules and a granular whitish substance, 



tremely expert in keeping out of danger. It is possible that one or both of these 



The attitude of the ants during all this may be the products of integumentary 



time underwent no change so far as I glands like those described by Janet.* 



could observe, for they would still oc- 



, , 1-1 * Sur le Systfemeglandulaire cles Fourmis. Compt. Rend. 



casionally make lunges at the crickets, uebd. der .'icad. Sci. T. .,8. p. 989, 1894. 



