174 THE entomologist's kecord. 



that Covcinella distincta belongs to the protected group of Myrmeco- 

 philoiis Coleoptera. Its larva no doubt feeds on the Aphid ac and 

 C'occidae that occur in the nests of Formica ri(fa. 



Clythra 4:-piinctata. — I am inclined to think that this beetle is a 

 mimic of CoccineUa disti)icta, as it has a strong superficial resemblance 

 to a '' lady-bird," and the (JoccineUidae are known to be distasteful to 

 insectivora. Its habitat is the same as that of the ladybird, in the 

 nests of Foniiica rufa. Its larva is a soft fleshy grub, and to protect 

 itself from the ants, it constructs a peculiar case. This case which is 

 made of black excrementitious matter, is somewhat pear-shaped, and 

 is open at the narrow end, this opening being closed l)y the hard horny 

 head of the larva. On its upper side several ridges run from the mouth 

 of the case, the inner ones meeting and forming a series of V's, as it is 

 supposed to strengthen the case. When ready to change to a pupa 

 the larva closes up the entrance to the case and fastens it to a stick or 

 other object in the nest, it then turns round and faces the bottom of 

 the case, through which the perfect insect breaks its way. I have 

 taken this case in F. rnfa nests at Buddon Wood, Oxshott, Wey- 

 liridge and the Blean Woods, and have bred the beetle freely. It has 

 iDeen said that these larvae feed on the eggs of the ants, but Wasmann 

 is rather of opinion that they feed on the vegetable refuse of the nest, 

 Avhich seems more natural for a phytophagous beetle larva. The 

 larval case of an allied species, ' '. laeciu^cula, is described and figured 

 by Wasmann in his " Zur Kentniss der Bosnischen Myrmekophilen " 

 (W7.S.S. Mitt. a. B'lt^. u\ Her., Band vi., 1899) and as it is found in the 

 bare earth in galleries of Lanius nii/er var. alirnn-iiiiicr and /,. alienuv, 

 it is difficult to know Avhat the larva can feed on. 



I now give a table classifying all our species, with the ants with 

 which they have occurred, according to Father Wasmann's method. 

 He divides them into four classes as follows : 



Class I. Consists of the regular guests of the ant. 



Class II. Consists of the regular guests of another species of ant. 



Class III. Consists of chance guests which are often found in numbers with 

 the ant. 



Class IV. Consists of chance guests not ofte)i found with ants. 

 It will be seen by examining the table that we possess in Britain 44 

 true coleopterous guests ; and that Foiinira nifa and Lm^ius fvliiiinoxua 

 are by far the most prolific in guests, the fo'nier jiossessing 22 true 

 guests, and the latter 18. 



I give the authority and reference to all the species, excepting those 

 in Class I. 



TABLE. 



With Fokmca \\vy\, L. 

 Class I. — Oxypoda foiniiceticola, Mark. 

 Oxypoda haeniorrhoa, Mann 

 Thiasophila angulata, Er. 

 Dinarda miirkeli, Maim 

 Jlyrmedonia humeralis, Grav. 

 Notothecta llavipes, Grav. 

 Notothecta anceps, Er. 

 Honialota parallela, Mann(ialpa, 



Heer) 

 Quedius brevis, Er. 

 Xantholinus atratus, Heer 

 Leptacinus formicetorum, Mark. 

 PtiJiunr myrmecophilum, All. 

 rtenidium kraatzii, Math. 



I'tenidiuui foruiicetoruni, Kr. 

 CoccineUa distincta, Fald. 

 Dendrophilus pygmaeus, L. 

 Myrmetes pieeus, Payk. 

 Monotonia conicicollis, Aubc 

 Monotonia foruiicetoruni, Thorns. 

 Cetonia florico]a,Hbst., larvae and 



pupa}. 

 Clythra 4-punctata,L.,larva3 and 



pupas. 

 Labidostomis tridentata,L.,larva3 



and pupiB (?) 

 Class II. — Dinarda dentata, Grav. 



(Fowler, Col. Brit. ldct<. ii., -53.) 

 Lomechusa strumosa, F.Manson, 



