406 Mr. H. St. J. Donisthorpe on the Origin 



Homalota sodalis, Er. 



I have taken this species on several occasions in nests of 

 Formica rufa at Weybridge between 1896 and 1908, and 

 with the same ant at Oxshott in 1907. H. myrmecohia, 

 Kr., which comes next to it in Ganglbauer (ii, p. 186), is 

 recorded by him with F. rufa and pratensis. 



Homalota analis, Gr. 



This httle species, which is very abundant and widely 

 distributed throughout the kingdom, is frequently found 

 with ants. I have found it in nests of Formica rufa at 

 Weybridge in plenty, Oxshott, etc., with F. exsecta, not 

 uncommon at Bournemouth, and with a Myrmica at 

 Porlock. Mr. Day records it with F. riifa from Keswick, 



Lamprinus saginattcs, Gr. 



" At roots of grass and in moss in damp places, especially 

 heaths ; it has occurred in ants' nests in France " (Fowler, 

 /. c. p. 198). 



It has been recorded with Lasius flavus and Myrmica 

 ruginordis at Tubney and wdth Formica fusca in the 

 New Forest (Walker) ; with Poncra contracta at Charing 

 (Chitty) ; and in moss with ants at Lundy Island (Joy). 

 I have taken it in a nest of Formica sanguinea at Wey- 

 bridge. This species is regarded as truly myrmecophilous 

 on the Continent, though apparently not in Britain, so it 

 must be dealt with in this paper. Most of our captures 

 are in moss and at roots of grass. I suspect often with 

 ants, or in the neighbourhood of their nests, though not 

 so recorded. Wasmann gives as its hosts, Myrmica 

 lacvinodis, rttginodis and scahrinodis, Formica rufa and 

 Lasius fuliginosus. He has found the larvae in the nests 

 and has kept the beetle in his observation nests. He 

 shows that it eats the ants' eggs, and that its shape 

 protects it from its hosts when attacked (Zeitschr. fur 

 wissenschaft, Insectenbiologie, 1905, p. 420). This perhaps 

 shows us how a Tachyporus species living in the neigh- 

 bourhood of ants' nests might eventually become a myrme- 

 cophilous insect. 



Heterothaps quadripunctula, Brit. Cat. (nee Gr., oiigra, Kr. ?). 



" In haystack, flood and other refuse ; also occasionally 

 in nest oi Lasius fuliginosus" (Fowler, I. c. p. 225). 



