CARNIVOROUS BUTTERFLIES — CLARK 473 



or ant larvas; neither did they go near the dead insects which the 

 ants had stored as food. 



He actually saw one of these larvae thrust its little proboscis into 

 the jaws of a large ant and keep it there while the ant made move- 

 ments as if feeding it. Sometimes, too, when a large ant was feed- 

 ing a smaller one the latter retired in favor of a caterpillar. The 

 caterpillars were frequently near with extended proboscis when the 

 ants were ministering to their own male and female larvae. 



He noticed that the feeding does not seem to take place very 

 often, and presumed that the high nutritive value of the material 

 provided makes it unnecessary. 



When the larva feeds the fore part of the body is raised and the 

 margins of the lateral folds of cuticle are bent around until they 

 meet, thus protecting the soft ventral surface. The head comes out 

 at the apex of the cone thus formed. 



The larva3 appear to be extremely slow growing. 



The head and neck of the larvaj appear to be protected against 

 attack, but the ants lose no opportunity of seizing other parts. He 

 once saw a larva crawling with an ant fastened to one of its clasp- 

 ers, the abdomen only of the ant being visible, as the rest of its 

 body was under the lateral fold of skin. He also saw a larva which 

 protected itself by just settling down closely on the supporting 

 surface, and when the ants retired it raised itself a little and 

 crawled, but when they reappeared it settled down again. 



Mr. Lamborn notes that observations on these larvse are diffi- 

 cult, as interference with their nests causes the ants to remove to 

 a new home nearly every time. 



Some half-stupefied larvse were put into an ants' nest. Such as 

 happened to fall on their backs were immediately seized by the 

 ants. Mr. Lamborn also found that a healthy larva placed on its 

 back had difficulty in turning over and is in this position liable to 

 attack. In one instance he saw a larva with an ant gripping it by 

 the neck on the ventral side. 



Two larva3 of this species each about 20 mm. in length collected 

 by Mr. Lamborn were described in detail by Dr. Harry Eltringham. 

 He noted that the dorsal and lateral views present an appearance 

 recalling that of a mollusk rather than that of a lepidopterous 

 larva. The ground color is brownish ochreous, and there are several 

 irregular markings of a rich umber brown. The lateral portion of 

 the larval skin is extended and modified into a kind of mantle, 

 the edge of which touches whatever the larva may be resting on. 

 From the edge of the mantle the sides, which present an irregular 

 and wavy surface, slope up to the dorsal area, along the whole 

 length of which is a deep groove bounded on each side by a hard 



