148 THE entomologist's record. 



(1) The genuine guests, who receive true hospitality from their hosts, being 

 either fed or licked, or both (Symphilen). 



(2) The indifferently tolerated lodgers, which stand in different degrees of 

 intercourse, and are tolerated for different reasons (Synoeketen). 



(3) The hostile persecuted lodgers, who force themselves on their hosts, and 

 generally live on them or their offspring as beasts of prey (Synechthren). 



(4) Parasites, both inner and outer, who spunge either in or on the ants, their 

 offspring, or their guests. 



The number of true gaiests in the Myrmecophilous Coleoptera is 

 very large, although we possess an exact knowledge of the habits of 

 only a few species. We know a number are licked by the ants on 

 account of a flowing etherealised oil which they obtain from certain 

 organs of exudation. These organs are morphologically recognisable, 

 and we can, therefore, reckon the number of beetles possessing them 

 at 250 to 300. To this elite among the ant guests we can place the 

 Lomechusa group in the Stapluilinidae , also the Clavvieridae, Gnostidae, 

 E ctrepJiid a e, most of the Paussidae and Thorictidae, the immense group 

 in the Histcridae (Hetaeriini), and lastly, several Nitidnlidae [Amphotis), 

 Silpliidae (Lomechon), Scarabaeidae (Cremastochilus), and Brenthidae 

 {Amorphocephalus). This, however, does not exhaust the list. I have 

 just received from Camerun a new genus of Tenchrionidac, which has 

 received the name Pofjonoxenus, on account of its moustache-like yellow 

 tuft of hairs, and which is certainly a true guest. First of all among 

 the true termite guests must be mentioned the fat (physogastren) genera 

 Corotoca, Spirachtha, Terniitor/astcr, Terinitobia, Xcno(jaster, Tenintochara, 

 Termitomorplia, and another undescribed genus Termitophija, just 

 received from Father C. Heyer, S.J., in Eio grande do Sul, in the 

 Staphylinidae. In the Scarabaeidae the genera Chaetopisthes and 

 Termitodim belong to the true termite guests, and the larvae of Glyptus 

 and OrtJwijonins in the Ckirabidac. The exudations obtained from the 

 true guests among the Coleoptera, by the ants licking them, are more 

 luxuries than real means of existence, as there are generally only a 

 small number of such true guests in one nest. They obtain a more 

 substantial means of subsistence from the honey-gathering plant, and 

 shield lice, as well as the larvae of the tropical Membraddae and 

 Fulfioridae. These can only be reckoned among the true guests in so far 

 as they are bound to the society of the ants, and are not sought by them 

 at odd moments. The plant louse, Paradetus cimiciformis, Heyd., for 

 instance lives regularly in the nest of Tctramonum caespitum, and is a 

 so called " honey-cow." The myrmecophilous caterpillars of the 

 Lycaenidae are also connected Avith ants (symbiosis), they are sought 

 by the ants on their food-plant, and licked and protected by them. 

 The glands in the 11th segment which store the honey, must be 

 considered as specially devoted to this purpose. These caterpillars 

 often change to chrysalides in the nests or even live in them as 

 caterpillars, as has been noticed in many species by Dr. Brauns at the 

 Cape. 



The indifferently tolerated lodgers belong to many different classes 

 of insects, such as spiders, mites, wood-lice, &c. Their number is in 

 about the proportion of 10-1 to the true guests. They are generally 

 tolerated for the reason that their hosts barely notice them, either 

 because of their small size, as in Ptiliinii and many species of Staphy- 

 linidae, or because of their slow movements and wooden-like appearance, 

 as in the genus Monotonia, or because their host is unsuccessful in his 



