262 PREDACIOUS AND PARASITIC 



Quercus), a vast number of which were upon the oak whence the 

 eggs were taken. The body of the aphis was more than double 

 the size of the larva. It had great difficulty at first to secure a 

 hold, plunging its mandibles first into one portion and then into 

 another of the victim, as if not secure of a grasp, and when fairly 

 anchored by both mandibles it was several times lifted off the leaf 

 bodily by the struggles and superior weight of the aphis. The 

 larva, however, maintained its grasp, all the time sucking the 

 juices of the victim, and although unable to exhaust the latter so 

 completely as would be the case when fully grown, it left it in a 

 condition of complete collapse, the skin of the abdomen being 

 shrivelled and empty. During the afternoon other larvae were 

 hatched, making altogether nine from as many eggs. The eggs 

 are shown on Plate XII. at Figs, i and 2, and again at Fig. 3, 

 where the manner in which they are spHt open and the escape of 

 the larva is to be seen. At Fig. 4 is shown the larva above men- 

 tioned shortly after sucking the aphis, and details of the same 

 insect are given at Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. 



August 2,0th. — Length of larvae at 9 a.m., i/6th inch, several 

 aphides having disappeared. During the afternoon one attacked 

 a very large pea aphis, five times as heavy as itself The aphis, 

 seized behind the cornicles, struggled hard to get free, fixing its 

 legs and pulling. The larva also fixed its legs, apparently utilising 

 the suctorial power which enables it to ascend glass vertically, and 

 also attaching itself by the suction of the anal orifice at the poste- 

 rior extremity firmly to the surface on which it rested. Thus 

 anchored, it resisted all efforts of the huge aphis to drag itself 

 away, and retained its hold sufficiently to consume the greater part 

 of its victim, though several times, when the hold of the tail was 

 relaxed, lifted off its feet. The larvae are now all fairly active, 

 especially in the morning and evening, and after dark a match 

 suddenly struck reveals them running about the glass shade with 

 great rapidity. In middle day they frequently creep up the glass, 

 and remain underneath the thick glass at the top. 



August ^ist. — Length, barely i/5th inch. The reddish colour- 

 ing of the segments is now very apparent. 



September 27id. — Length, nearly i/4th inch — 11/48. The larvae 

 appear to feed chiefly at night. Pea, Oak, and Hazel Aphides 

 were all eaten indiscriminately. 



