684 Ants’ Nesis and theiy Inhabitants. [August, 
elevated. He observed that the ants seemed to coax the beetle 
to lower its abdomen within reach, and whenever this was done 
they at once pounced on these tufts of bristles which are in this 
species situated at the base of the abdomen. He fed the ants 
with sugar and water, and observed in one instance that a beetle 
approached a feeding ant, made an antennal communication, and 
that thereupon the ant turned, opened its jaws and permitted the 
beetle to lick from its mouth the sweets upon which it had been 
feeding. This observation requires verification, but there is 
nothing improbable in it. 
In the Coleoptera the great family Carabide is entirely unrep- 
resented among the Myrmecophili. The Staphylinidz, on the 
= contrary, have by'all odds the largest representation, with the 
Poe Pselaphidæ closely following. Others of the Clavicorns follow 
next in order of abundance, while of the other families only occa- 
sional representatives are found. It has been observed that in 
nests where many species are inquilinous the specimens are usu- i 
ally abundant, while those nests containing only one or two spe- 
_ cies contain also a very small number of specimens. 
A number of species of other orders also occur in such nests, 
but are not sufficiently well determined to admit of reference 
_ here. The American ants themselves have never been worked 
- up, and many of the species are still undescribed, and this adds 
_ to the difficulty of listing the Myrmecophili. ; 
In regard to habit these species also differ. Some are found 
only in the main nest, while others are in the van with the advance Í 
guard. Formica (Camponotus) pensylvanica inhabits old logs and 
stumps, and builds long covered galleries from one stump oF log 
to another. In these galleries Lomechusa cava, one of its inqui- 
_ lines, is found in the greatest numbers. 
If an ant’s nest be so disturbed that the inhabitants seek other 
quarters, the inquilines also leave the spot and follow their hosts, 
without which it seems they cannot exist for any length of time. 
ostile as the ants are as a rule, therefore, to other insects, they 
et make a large number of exceptions. Even Eciton, that fero- 
ous ant whose forays Bates has so well described in his 3 Nae 
alist on the Amazon,” has its inquilines. These ants build 20 
manent nests but rather temporary camps which they ean a 
ightest provocation, and on all their wanderings their sani 
follow them like herds of cattle. This observation has been 
oe as 
