The Bionomics of South African Insects. 535 



M Group of Ant-like Insects captured (^f/aI>^r(Re^^re- 

 sented U times the natural size on Plate XiXJ. 



(r'amponotus soriceus (fig. 54)_; C. 

 HVMENOI.TERA J^^nn^ci^U I co« (figs. 55, 5(5); C. sp. 



Hemiptera. Purrhocoridx Megapetus atrutus (figs 57, 58) 



SSoPTEUA dcaslid^ Mynnecophaua ^ fallax (hg. 59). 



The above insects were all caught on the same day 

 (Feb 17 1001) .)n a single plant-a small bushy vetch. 

 The Py rhocorid habitually frequents this plant, bemg 

 fond of sucking the young pods; the ants fre ™ore or 

 e s ubiquitouCbut are principally attracted to this ve ch 

 by t e ui.e which exudes from the injuries made by the 

 bu- the MynnecovJimm. which is apparently a very rare 

 ir^^ect was probably only a chance visitor. The latter, m 

 sDite of its long Intenn.^, bears a very strong rcsem- 

 bknce o an ant, and might very readily be passed over 

 ^ one of these insects; it is piobably a Batesian mnnic. 

 Tl e bug is not nearly so ant-like m its mature form 

 (which is .shown in Plate XIX) as m its eadier stages, at 

 which period the similarity is most striking bo h in shape 

 W movements. The insect is a comparatively common 

 oneVrrthe mimicry has probably a MuUenan character. 

 [The following extracts from letters refer to this in- 

 teresting group. Mr. Malcolm Burr, to whom I have 

 s "wn the Jcustid, thinks that it imy be the s.une 

 species as M. fall ax, inasmuch as the habits of the L ttei 

 a?e not certainly known, and the green marking which 

 obliterates the unant-Uke parts of ^/-^..^-ly-^-^^^/'f;^ 

 iaded to a pale yellowish tint much like that of the 

 corresponding parts of the speci.iien described by brunnei 

 von WaUenwyl (verhamll. d. K. 1^ ^ool -botan. Ges. in 

 Wien Bd. xxxiii, 1883, PL XV, tigs. 1« and 16).-E. B. P.] 

 ^Murv April 25, 1899.-The Locustid ant-mmiicker 

 M^Z^t;^c o.^: both here (Mashonaland) and in 

 Na al tlouah very rarely, but it is perhaps a ditlerent 

 species from M. fallal. It does not live on the ground 

 bK.lovv%ts, which are also frequented by the ant it 

 mindcs, and the light parts are pale green; we have also 

 a bu«>- which mimics the same ant. 



S3ishu,-y, April 19. 1901.-I expect you will be glad to 

 luave an example of Myrmeeophana, it makes a grand 

 series with the ants and bugs; the two latter can often be 



