and Ancestral Form of Myrmccophilotis Coleoptcra. 399 



from the spot in which I captured the specimen mentioned 

 in last year's Annual." Fowler (Col. Brit. Isles, ii. 1888, 

 p. 11) — "In moss near nests oi Formica riifa or fusca, by 

 sweeping, running on pathways, etc." Linnell (Reigate 

 List, 1898, p. 5) records it " In a sandpit at Redstone near 

 nests of Formica rufa!' 



I took it in the runs of Lasius fvJiginosus, in company 

 with several species of Myrmcclonia, at Wellington College, 

 in September, 1905. 



" Occurs in moss near nests of Formica rufa in Bishop's 

 Wood, Truro" (Vic. Hist. Cornwall, 1906, p. 190). 



" Near nests of Formica rufa and F. fusca, Charlton " 

 (Vic. Hist. Kent, 1908, p. 131). 



We thus see that this species shows a partiality towards 

 the company of ants, which may represent the hrst steps 

 towards a regular myrmecophilous habit. 



Microglossa pulla, Gyll. 



This widely distributed species is recorded by Fowler 

 {I. c. p. 24). " In holes of the sand-martin, etc., occasionally 

 by sweeping, also in carrion , . . Mickleham in com- 

 pany with Formica fidiginosa (Power) ; . . . according 

 to Mulsant and Rey it is found in old trees with ants 

 and also in the nests of finches and quails, and with 

 hedgehogs." The records with sand-martins may refer 

 to M. nidicola. Brewer took it in a nest of L. fuliginosus 

 in Headley Lane. It is certainly frequently associated 

 with Lasius fuliginosus, in the nests of which ant I always 

 took it at Oxshott in the spring and autumn, and also at 

 Wellington College, where Dr. Joy has likewise met with 

 it. It is found right in the nest of the ants. Father 

 Wasmann gives L. fuliginosus and hrunneus as its hosts, 

 but remarks that it is more or less doubtful if it should 

 count as truly myrmecophilous (Krit. Verz. d., Myr. u. 

 Ter. Art., 1894, p. 71), and gives it as the regular guest of 

 L. fuliginosus in Dutch Limburg in April and October 

 (Tijdschr. voor Entom., xxxiv, 1891, p. 60). 



Dr. Joy, in a valuable paper on Coleoptera occurring in 

 the nests of Mammals and Birds (E. M. M., 1907, p. 240), 

 writes of this beetle — " This species, I discovered last year, 

 is specially attached to the nests of tits, flycatchers, etc., 

 and this year I have been able to trace its life-history, at 

 any rate in part. I have taken it also on several occasions 

 in the fresh nests of the starling. The beetle enters the 



