22 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February, 



be dug from the soil. But as they prefer to make their abode in 

 soUd ground, in a narrow path, they are easily found, as their 

 presence is always indicated by a perfectly round hole, the size 

 of which showing the particular species which made it. The 

 Cremastochilus also frequents this path, and is usually found 

 slowly crawling about, and most frequently several are found in 

 close proximity to each other. A large number of small ants 

 have also nests in this hard-trodden soil; these nests are under- 



ground galleries, with exceedingly small openings towards the 

 light, not much larger than the holes made by the heads of com- 

 mon pins. 



Observation i. — A Cremastochilus surrounded by numerous 

 ants, was gradually pushed by them in a certain direction. The 

 beetle was perfectly quiet, and offered no resistance to the ants, 

 nor did it assist them in any perceptible way. As the process of 

 moving such an immense object was exceedingly slow, I did not 

 observe the ultimate destination of the procession. 



Observation 2. — A Cremastochilus was found sitting right over 

 one of the small entrances of an ant nest. With slow and very 

 deliberate actions the beetle gradually enlarged the hole under it, 

 and in the course of nearly seven hours disappeared from view. 

 During all this time not a single ant appeared in its vicinity, nor 

 did any assist the beetle in its efforts to penetrate to the nest 

 below. 



