1900 WITCHELL & WATKINS — INSIiCT COMBAT 197 



under similar circumstances. They are very active and 

 voracious, using their sharp jaws with great effect, and 

 sucking the juices of their prey through them. The 

 Rove beetle in question is known as Xantholinus piinc- 

 tttlahis, Payk. There are 10 British species in this 

 genus, whose members have a peculiar habit of curling, 

 or rather "doubhng" themselves up in repose. 



Some kinds of Rove beetles are constantly found in 

 the nests of certain species of ants. These myrmeco- 

 philous, or ant-loving species have been found even in the 

 inner sanctuaries of the ant's nest, and appear perfectly at 

 home, their numerous hosts never molesting them. Mr 

 Rye records having seen a Rove beetle (Atemeles eviar- 

 ginatus) being carried about tenderly in the mouth of 

 an ant much less than itself. Another Rove beetle 

 { Myrmedonia funesta) is often found in the nests of the 

 Jet ant (Formica fiiliginosa) ; it is very like its host in 

 appearance, and even acquires the pungent odour common 

 to its host — from living in an atmosphere impregnated 

 with formic acid. 



To return to our Rove beetle (X. punctidatus) and its 

 seeming enemy which appears to be a worker of the 

 Garden ant (Lasius iiiger). It is very possible that the 

 ant was the aggressor while out on a foraging expedition, 

 and had the combatants not been removed from the ground 

 it is probable that other workers of the species would soon 

 have assisted their comrade to overcome the beetle. 



