NOTES ON THE FUMEIDS. 89 



the front legs ; and the antennae, which are quite flat and rudder-shaped, 

 can be hidden in the cavity of the breast, so that they offer no weak 

 point to the jaws of the ants. Even Avhen a Xenocephalns is lying on 

 its back it is not easy for the ants to attack it before it is on its legs 

 again. Other Eciton guests of the genus sjjnodites in the family 

 Histeridae, being of a perfectly oval four-sided shape, are protected 

 by this in the same manner as the Xenocephcdus by its tortoise-shell 

 form. 



It may be mentioned that this oval shape, with the antennffi, and legs 

 which can be drawn in, is common to the whole family of Histeridae 

 whether they occur with ants or not. This, hoAvever, is not the case 

 with Xenocephalm whose protective shield is specially provided to 

 enable it to dwell with the hordes of wander- ants, as it is not found, at 

 least in the same degree of perfection, in the allied non-myrmecophilous 

 Taclnjporini. We must, therefore, consider this shield to be an adaptive 

 character. A new genus, Ecitoxenns, which was discovered by Father 

 C. Heyer, S.J., with Eciton coecum, in Eio Grande do Sul, has been 

 added to the already known genera of the Xenocephalini — XenocepJtalu^f, 

 Wasm., and Cephaloplectiis, Sharp — and will soon be described. 



The African genus Cos.vjphodes belonging to the family Cvli/diidae, 

 show some splendid examples of the protected guests. The upper side 

 forms a long elliptical arched disc, under Avhich the real body of the 

 beetle is hidden. The sides of the disc are slightly bent, and touch 

 the ground. The head which forms the first part of the protecting 

 disc is very peculiar, the eyes being marked on it like two small black 

 warts. All the rest of the head lies on the underside and is furnished 

 with its own gorge-plate. The antennae can be wrapped up on each 

 side under this plate. Dr. Brauns found lately t'nsstiphode.'i beiricki, 

 WolL, in great numbers under stones in company with Pheidole 

 inuicttdata, Moyr., at Port Elizabeth, in Cape Colony. He wrote to me 

 about it as follows : " The insect was sitting in the midst under the 

 ants and ran hurriedly about amongst them wherever the sun shone 

 on the overturned stone. The ants paid no attention to it, and from 

 time to time it ducked itself fiat against the stone when it got too 

 much mixed up with the crowd of ants. The protective shield is 

 beautifully developed and its colour is the same as that of the ants." 



It is not necessary, however, to go as far as Brazil to find good 

 examples of protected guests, as in the Staphylinid genus Dinarda (see 

 plate, fig. 2) we possess good examples. The broad flat thorax, the 

 elytra, keel-shaped at the sides, and other peculiarities, insure their being 

 at least tolerated, as they render them unattackable and invulnerable. 



{To lie continued.) 



Notes on the Fumeids, with descriptions of new species and 

 varieties {iritli Plate). 



By T. A. CHAPMAN, M.D,, F.Z.S., F.E.S. 

 {Cuntinned from p. 62.) 

 In using the anterior tibial spur as a character for distinguishing 

 the Fumeid species, it is necessary for accuracy to mount the tibia, 

 take a camera sketch of it, and measure the tibia and spur, but if the 

 forelegs are well extended such a sketch can often be taken without 

 removing and mounting the limb, and to distinguish them,. for most 



