Be Nene tee ey ram Oe et 
A Sh e337, <b: 
on the Bionomics of Southern Nigerian Insects. 441 
but, mindful of former misfortunes, I do not venture to 
say more than that they are Diptera. The antennae 
appear to have twelve or thirteen segments, with whorls 
of bristles, and are divided up by beautiful areolate mark- 
ings. The venation of the wings is extremely reduced. 
The proboscis is quite a huge and rather remarkable affair, 
but youll see them for yourself when they come. I 
hope to send them next mail. I haven’t exhausted the 
Myrmecophilous Diptera yet, and am keeping them back 
so that I may send others with them. 
[Farquharson had hardly posted the above record when 
he heard that his friend Mrs. Connal considered that the 
Diptera were Ceratopogon, with biting mouth-parts. He 
wrote later, on the same day, in some depression at what 
he thought must have been his mistake, but recovered to 
some extent when he began to recall the observed facts. ] 
April 17, 1918.—I can see what insects do, and [Il tell 
you nothing but what I see. I am by no means sure that 
the biting mouth-parts are actually used for biting. I 
am almost certain that my interpretation of their move- 
ments is the correct one. There would be no object in 
specialising in pairs of ants in the act of inter-regurgitation. 
I have written to ask Mrs. Connal if she will describe it 
and if so to allow her diagnosis to be published with the 
rest. I will send specimens next mail. The hind-legs, 
by the way, are carried like those of Culicidae. 
Aug. 11, 1918.—It cheered me very considerably to 
write Dr. Connal that the Diptera may after all be 
Cecidomyids. Poor man he wrote me at the time that 
he had been made the “ object of unlimited scorn ”’ from 
Mrs. Connal over the mis-diagnosis. I think I told you 
that I have found them here also [Aug. 8; see p. 440], and, 
after very carefully watching them, I feel certain that my 
original view of their activities holds. They hover, with 
midge-like flight, as close as possible to the ant-nest, 
frequently going right into the outer cavities of the carton, 
till they see a pair of ants in the act of inter-regurgitation. 
They then dart forward a little, their wings all the time 
being in rapid motion, till their heads appear to be in 
contact with the point of contact of the ants’ heads. 
What exactly happens I cannot say for certain, for they 
are harder to observe than Harpagomyia. But I’m sure 
they don’t even try to bite the ants, and I can hardly 
doubt but that their object is to steal the “‘ droplet” that 
