and Ancestral Form of Myrmccopliilous Goleoptera. 405 



Callicerus rigidicornis, Er. 



This species which, though rare, is very widely dis- 

 tributed, has not heretofore been regarded as myrme- 

 cophilous. It has, however, been taken with Lasius 

 fuliginosus at Ohobham (Saunders) and Wellington College 

 (Joy) ; in the runs of Formica rufa at Woking in 1907 and 

 1908 (Champion) ; and I have taken it with Lasius iiiger in 

 the New Forest. My friend. Dr. Joy, having taken it on 

 various occasions with L. fidiginosns, tells me that, from its 

 behaviour with the ants he considers it shows true Myrme- 

 cophilous habits. This looks as if the species is taking 

 the first steps towards a myrmecophiious life. 



A species of Callicerus is recorded with Aphctenogaster 

 harbara in Palestine. 



On the genus Homalota, Father Wasmann writes — 

 " Many species of the Genus Homalota (in the old sense) 

 live as occasional guests with ants, especially with F. rufa, 

 and still more with L. fuliginosus. Most often one finds 

 Liogluta nitidula, Kr., with the last genus." 



Homalota nitidula, Kr. 



" Occasionally in the nests of F, fuliginosa, also in dead 

 birds" (Fowler). 



" The type of this species occurs very rarely in the 

 South of England, sometimes in the nest of Formica 

 fuliginosa " (Sharp, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1869, p. 130). 



With Lasius fuliginosus at Knowle (Ellis, Ent Rec, 

 1908, p. 57). 



Homalota oblongiuscula, Sharp. 



Taken by Dr. Power atMickleham with Lasiiis fuliginosus. 



Homalota exarata, Sharp. 



" A few specimens found by Dr. Power and Mr. Brewer 

 in Tilgate Forest in the nests oi Formica fuliginosa are all 

 I have seen " (Sharp, /. c. p. 187). 



This species is treated as a synonym of hcpatica, Er., 

 by Ganglbauer and the last European Catalogue. M^ith 

 what reason we know not, as Sharp includes both species 

 in his monograph. These are all the records I can find of 

 the last three species with ants. 



