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THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 139 



very much smaller hopper; may be found] (specimens of both sent). 

 At times with both or either of these there may be a mass of 

 scales and the scale-devouring larvae, in their movable habita- 

 tions, of the moth Eromene coccophaga. Where these ant en- 

 closures are on a Burdekin Plum tree a second species of Eromene 

 in a movable cover may be noted, but it does not fasten the skins 

 of the scales on to same like E. coccophaga does. A third and 

 larger Eromene is also admitted into the circle of the ants' friends, 

 but it is not scale-devouring ; it lives, always on ant-infested trees, 

 under a tunnel composed of silk and fragments of bark, and feeds 

 upon the green bark. These tunnels or covered ways are 3 or 4 

 inches long, and I have seen them literally covered with ants. The 

 caterpillar utilizes this web to form a double-walled cocoon 

 (specimen of moth and cocoon sent). It happens now and then 

 that this insect may be amongst scales, and then he may be 

 accidentally covered in if the ants indulge in any web-spinning. 



Many of our native fruits and berries are infested with 

 waxy scales, more particularly the Burdekin Plum, Spondias 

 pleiogyna, and various kinds of Figs and Terniinalias. Small 

 bunches of these fruits will be webbed in by the ants, as leaves 

 are not always available. Frequently the whole of the covering 

 is done with web, which in these cases is extremely thin and 

 delicate, and sufficiently transparent to admit of the insects within 

 being plainly perceived. The heaviness of these fruits, and the 

 frail nature of the texture enclosing them, preclude my sending 

 any specimens for inspection. 



There is a long, slender, pea-green geometer caterpillar per- 

 mitted to enter the shelters, the moth of which is large and beautiful, 

 and has been named Euchloris hypohuca, by Mr. O. Lower, from 

 a single female specimen submitted to him by Mr. G. Lyell. I 

 have found in one shelter four of these caterpillars, two species 

 of waxy scales, the green " hopper," and a cocoon of Eromene 

 coccophaga, with innumerable ants. The geometer larva often abuses 

 the hospitality extended to it by eating holes in the leaves of its 

 retreat if they are young, and these holes are usually stopped up 

 by the ants. Each enclosure or shelter has its quota of ants, nor 

 do they abandon them whilst any of their charges remain within. 

 The geometers are rarely seen out of these covers during the day, 

 unless the weather should be dull or damp ; they crawl out to the 

 ends of the branches to eat the tender foHage, and pupate in a 

 netted cocoon in the covers. 



A small jumping spider is to be found on almost all the nests 

 and in or on many of the enclosures. It appears to be quite at 

 home with the ants, though it moves aside when one approaches 

 closely in its direction. The female makes her webs and deposits 

 her eggs in any of the crevices in nests or covers. 1 believe the 

 spider does not prey upon the ants or other inmates ot the en- 

 closures, being merely there for protection. It hunts on the out- 



