COCCIDyE OF GUERNSEY. 27.*) 



also under stones where there were no ants, but did not 

 see another specimen. This was the only nest of this species 

 of ant that I found.' The ants were kindly determined by 

 Mr. E. Saunders as Tetramorium ccespitum ; this, at the time, 

 seemed a very remarkable coincidence, as Mr. Smith's (New 

 Zealand) Coccids belonged to the genus Ripersia, and were 

 found in the nests of two species of Tetramorium. On 

 August 12th Mr. Luff kindly forwarded another lot of 

 Coccids and ants which he had taken in Alderney ; this is 

 a new locality for the Coccids, which are undoubtedly R. 

 Tomlinii, and the ants were Lasius alienus. From the liberal 

 supply of Coccids I have been able to add some important 

 particulars. With the specimens Mr. Luff enclosed the 

 following : — ' I particularly noted that the Coccids were 

 found only under stones covering ants' nests, and in many 

 instances were some distance down the holes leading to the 

 interior of the nest. When I loosened a Coccid from the 

 grass root to which it was attached, the ants carried it off 

 into the interior of the nest ; and in two instances I saw 

 several ants loosen a Coccid themselves and carry it away. 

 Even portions of the sac which I had broken off were 

 eagerly seized on and carried off.' I think Mr. Luff's 

 remarks are of the greatest value and interest to those who 

 are interested in the subject. But whether the Coccids are 

 originators of ants' nests I am not prepared to determine. 

 My experience tends to prove that ants do seek Coccids, and 

 this, no doubt, for the purpose of obtaining from them such 

 material as is tasteful to them." The only other known 

 habitat for this species, besides Guernsey, Alderney, Herm and 

 Jethou, is Portland, where they were taken in the nests of 

 Lasius niger by Mr. H. K. St. John Donisthorpe in April, 1901. 



Ripersia Europcea, Newstead. — This species was first 

 discovered by myself in 1895 at the roots of grasses and 

 other plants under stones in ants' nests near Fort Doyle 

 and on L'Ancresse Common. When disturbed, the ants 

 seized on the Coccids, as in the case of R. Tomlinii, and 

 carried them off. Mr. Brockton Tomlin found the species, 

 during August, 1896, plentiful under stones in ants' nests 

 for about a mile on both sides of St. Sampson's Harbour. 

 The only other place where it has been found is near Rheim, 

 in Germany, where Mr. E. Wasmann discovered it in 1896. 

 A description of the species is given by Mr. Newstead in 

 the Entomologists^ Monthly Magazine for July, 1897. 



I have found fourteen species of Coccidce in Guernsey , but 

 these are, no doubt, only a few of those which actually occur. 



