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the ants. For instance they may emit an odour which is 
pleasant to the ants.” He says also “ Mr. Francis Galton has, I 
think, rendered it very probable that some of our domestic 
animals were kept as pets before they were made of any use. 
Unlikely as this may appear in some cases, for instance in the pig, 
we know as a fact that pigs are often kept by savages as pets. I 
would not put it forward as a suggestion which can be supported 
by any solid reasoning, but it seems not altogether impossible 
that some of these tame insects may be kept as pets.” 
In another place Sir John says “I therefore venture to suggest 
that these insects may, perhaps, act as scavengers.” 
I think myself that this last reason is the true one. 
I have taken the British beetles. Of the Filicornia, the 
predaceous land and water beetles, which among insects may be 
compared to the more noble of the Felide, the tigers, leopards, 
&c., we have more than five hundred species, but I have not been 
able to find any record of a single one of these being found 
associated with Hymenoptera. But among the Clavicornia, which 
may be compared with the dogs, jackals and hyzenas, I find in the 
single family Staphylinide, five genera, and thirteen species that 
are found in nests of various species of ants. 
Of the Nitidulide, so many of which frequent flowers, we have 
about a hundred species, but none are found so associated. 
The Cryptophagide are omnivorous feeders, and of these 
I find four species occurring in the nests of humble bees, 
three in ants’ nests, and one, the occasion of these notes, in a 
wasp’s nest. 
Among the Heteroceride there are seven species found 
associated with ants. 
The family Coccinellide contains about one hundred and forty- 
five British species, but as they mostly feed on the Aphides, the 
peculiar pets of the ants, none are found associated with the 
ants, with, however, one exception, Coccinella distincta, which 
has been recorded as found in an ant’s nest. If this was not 
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