RELATIONS OF ANTS TO OTHER INSECTS. 359 



ants, and the species of food-plant seems to be quite a secondary con- 

 sideration, at any rate, to a considerable extent. The larvae of Zez'ms 

 may be found on very nearly any plant that harbors the large red ant, 

 CEcophylla sinaragdina Fabricius, so much so that Mr. Bell has often 

 had a strong suspicion that the butterfly larvae will occasionally eat the 

 ant larvae, although he has not actually seen them do so. The larva 

 of this butterfly feeds on many species of plants not recorded on the 

 lists, as Mr. Bell made no particular note of them, all these plants being 

 affected by the large red ants. The larvae of Aphnceiis and Catapcc- 

 cilina are only found on plants affected by ants of the genus Creinasto- 

 gastcr. As regards the four species of butterflies named above, the 

 larvae are often found in the ants' nests, and their pupae also, but not 

 invariably." 



These observations show that the relations between ants and Lycaenid 

 larvae may be very intimate, and certainly suggest a kind of mutualism, 

 or symbiosis like that obtaining between the ants and the phytophthor- 

 ous Homoptera. As in this latter case, it is maintained that the ants 

 protect the caterpillars from their enemies in return for their sweet 

 secretion, but our knowledge of this matter is not sufficient to permit 

 of far-reaching inferences. It is very probable, nevertheless, that 

 further study of the Lycaenidae, especially in the tropics where this 

 family is enormously developed, has many surprises in store for us. 

 This may be inferred from what is known of the habits of some of 

 the aberrant species that are not amicably attended by ants. Thus the 

 caterpillar of our curious North American Feniseca tarquinins has 

 become carnivorous and feeds on \vax-secreting aphids, the so-called 

 alder blight (Pemphigus tcsscllatits], and an Indian species (Spalgis 

 epius) is known to feed on Coccidae. The singular Liphyra brassolis 

 of India and Australia is said by Dodd (1902) to live in the nests and 

 to feed on the larvae of (Ecophylla sinaragdina. The caterpillar is cov- 

 ered with a tough shell, as if to protect it from the mandibles of its 

 host, and it actually pupates within its larval skin like a cyclorrhaph 

 Dipteron (Chapman, 1902) ! The butterfly on hatching in the ants' nest 

 is enveloped with a peculiar coating of white, gray and brown, fugitive 

 scales, which protect it from its hosts, for, as Dodd says, " it is highly 

 probable that the ants have no friendly feeling for the perfect insect 

 and would most likely attack and kill it during its long rest after emer- 

 gence, if it were not especially and wonderfully protected. So it will 

 be seen that the loose scales act as a perfect protection, for directly the 

 ants encounter these they are in trouble, they fasten on to their feet 

 and impede their movements, or, if their antennae or mandibles come 

 in contact with any part of the butterfly, the scales adhere thereto, so 



