1. August 1908. 



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XXIII. Jahrgang. 



Societas entomologica. 



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 Entomologen-Verein. 



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jedem Jahre 125 Zeil 



57 : 15 



On some Curious Habits of certain 

 West African Insects 



by Dr. med. F. Creigton Wellman, 

 of Benguella, West Africa. 



During the process of coUecting nearly two 

 thousand African specie.s of insects and other 

 aiiimals, the writer has made notes on the habits 

 of a large number of these, only a few of which 

 have been published. Most habits of African 

 insects, it may be said in passing, are susceptible 

 of some rational explanation by one familiär with 

 the climate , flora , and other features of the 

 continent; but occasionally one observes actions 

 of which he can offer no certain interpretation 

 whatever. It is of such that I wish to speak 

 in this paper. 



On October 29, 1905, 1 was coUecting insects 

 at a point two days' march inland east of Benguella, 

 and on that occasion I saw a Coprophagide beetle 

 (Onthophagus sp. — the specimen was later 

 unfortunately ruined by mould) lying on its back 

 and rapidly revolving by means of its six legs 

 a piece of charcoal about half the size of its own 

 body. The proceeding irresi.stably reminded me 

 of the actions of a .Japanese juggler who lie.s on 

 bis back and keeps a large ball revolving by 

 moviiig it with bis feet. Presently the beetle 

 discarded the piece of coal and turned over into 

 its natural position and started to walk off. In 

 a few seconds it came back , siezed the piece of 

 coal and went through the whole performance 

 again. Then it turned over and walked off once 

 more. I followed it for some distaiice and as it 

 showed signs of flying away I caught it and put 

 it into my killing bottle. Whether the object 

 of this stränge proceedure was to clean the beetles' 

 leg.s froiu düng is more than I can say. 



On the same journey I saw (October 24, 1905) 



one day in the bright sunlight a hazy ring come 

 30 mm. in diameter, which seemed to hover just 

 above the sliort grass. The ring looked somcwliat 

 like the conventional halo one sometimes sees 

 above the heads of saints in paintings. I struck 

 my hat sharply against the ground and found 

 that two Diptera (Anthoin.viae S ?) rapidly flying 

 in a circle had caused the Illusion. I suppose 

 the phenomenon to be some part of their courtsbip, 

 but have no explanation to offer regarding its 

 Utility. 



On another occasion I was in an old deserted 

 camp in tlie desert east of Benguella. As I sat 

 in my tent the flies were very troublesome. 

 Presently a gentle rain began to fall, and after 

 a few minutes the flies left the dry tent and 

 went out into the rain. Most of them did not 

 fly out but crawled on the ground. Among the 

 flies I caught Miisca (lomestica L., Homalomjia 

 scalaris L. , and Pycnosoma chloropyga Wied. 

 As this occurred by a dried-up water hole , I 

 concluded that extreme, thirst may have tempted 

 the flies. 



In February 1904 I saw in West Africa a 

 species of Phora dragging about a small ant, 

 having hooked the ungues or tarsi of its last 

 pair of legs to the legs of the ant. The fly 

 reminded one of a pony hitched to a cart. I 

 conjectured that the fly had oviposited in the 

 ants body (as some nieinbers of tbe Phoridae do) 

 and was seeking a safe place to deposit its victim 

 so that the maggot might develope undisturbed. 



On still another journey I saw by the roadside 

 some seeds from a free called by the natives 

 „Onjiliti". These seeds were jumping about in a 

 most startling manner and the natives declared 

 they were bewitched. On catting one open I saw 

 the larva of a Curculionide beetle inside. This 

 grub by contracting and then suddenly lengthening 

 its body was able to deliver a blow hard enough 

 to niake the seed Jump 40 or 50 mm from the 



