172 THE entomologist's becobd, 



having been slu/htly nibbled. On May 18th the Achillea millefolium had 

 been difihtly nibbled, and two larvfe were dead. I then introduced Achillea 

 ptarmica, Matricaria inodovnin, Pyrethrum aureuvij&nd a further si^pply 

 of Achillea millefolium. On May 20th the remaining six larva? had 

 shghtly nibbled the two latter plants, the others were untouched. So 

 far there had been no attempt to repair the clothing, the larvfe were 

 visibly shrinking and obviously starving to death. I then introduced 

 Tanacetum ruh/are (tansy), Anthemis tinctoria (garden form) and the 

 double Pyrethrum of the garden. This time there was no mistake 

 about the taste of the larvae, they fairly fell upon the tansy, and 

 stripped it, besides using it to repair their Avorn-out garments. I 

 could again find but little or no trace of the A. millefolium, being more 

 than slightly nibbled. There is a difficulty of course in making sure 

 that the finely cut leaves of most of these plants are or are not eaten, 

 and also whether eaten or used for clothes, but I feel certain that, at 

 any rate, as food for larvfe which had been fed up on one of our well 

 known food-plants, of all the leaves tried, the Tanacettim alone would 

 take their place. 



While experimenting, I was surprised to find three small larv£e of 

 P. smaraydaria, of about the hybernating stage, that is of course, very 

 much smaller than they ought to be, feeding wild upon plants of 

 French lavender. The true name of this plant, which is not a laven- 

 der, but belongs to the Compositae, is Santolina chcunoecyparisftHS. It 

 appears to me to be closely allied to the tansy, and since these larvte 

 had chosen it of their own accord, one must conclude that it is not 

 altogether distasteful to them, considering that they might, had they 

 wished, have moved on to southernwood, Artemida maritima or A. 

 abmithium, all of which are growing close by. 



A few notes on Myrmecophilous Coleoptera. 



(With a table of all the British species recorded with ants, according to Father 

 Wasmann's method as applied to the Myrmecophilous Coleoptera of HoUandish 

 Limburg,*) 



By H. St. .1. K. DONISTHOEPE, F.Z.S., F.E.S. 



I take the opportunity, Avhilst bringing out this table, to write a few 

 notes on some of our species, and as, at the same time, the translation 

 of Father Wasmann's valuable paper on the " Guests of Ants and 

 Termites " is being published, I hope they may help to stimulate 

 British coleopterists to Avork at ants' nests a little more. I should be 

 very glad if coleopterists would send me local lists of the ants' nest 

 beetles that occur in their districts, giving the time of the year of 

 capture, and any remarks they may have made on their habits, &c. 

 More evidence is wanted on the species that possess two hosts, living 

 Avith them as true guests. Eecords of the capture of Myrmedonia 

 humeralis, Quedius brevis and Atemeles emarginatus with the ant, and 

 the month AA^hen found, AA^ould be useful. Of the first of these species 

 FoAAder AA^rites {Col. Brit. Isles, ii., p. 57), "In nests of Formica rufa, 

 and has been recorded from nests of F.fnliyinosa, but the latter habitat 

 appears doubtful." It is noAV, however, knoAvn to occur freely AAdth 

 both ants. Wasmann says it lives Avith the former only in the Avinter 

 till about February, but Avith the latter from then till the end of the 

 year. This is so as far as my experience goes. Quedius brevis is found 



* TijiUchr. V. Entom., xxx., s. 181, and xxxi., s. 242, 



