﻿284 LÉPIDOPTÉROLOGIE COMPARÉE 



Oct. 2^th. Brought an observation nest of M. scabrinodïs 

 given me by Mr. Donisthorpe, it bas a number of workers, a good 

 deal of brood, but no queen. It was taken a few days ago and 

 seems to be settling down satisfactonly. It will be available to 

 transfer L. alcon to when any of présent nests are exhausted of 

 brood, labelled No. 6. 



Nov. 2nd. Mr. E. C. Knight draws larva, the larva seems not 

 quite so long and less active, it suggests that by season or by 

 récent colder weather, they are shrinking, emptying the primae 

 viae with a view to hibernating, this is in agreement with the 

 circumstance that no sucked out ant larvae hâve been retrieved 

 from middens sincc Oct. 26th. 



Removed alcon larva from nest 4, where ant larvae now are 

 absent, to nest 6. Three hours later the ants, which at ârst 

 carefully examined it, treat it with neglect, walking past it and 

 over it without any notice, and they hâve not carried it to brood 

 nest; removed it to a position nearer the brood. 



'Nov. ph. Alcon in nest 6 seen this morning in midden, put 

 in brood nest, seen an hour later, alone in nuddle of a cell, 

 again put nearer, twb hours later seen in brood nest, and an ant 

 seized it at once to take it to a safer place. Gave this nest 

 several house-flies last evening, which made them very active, 

 the Aies this morning are disintegrated. This may hâve made 

 their proceedings otherwise irregular. The alcon in i, 2, and 3 

 unchanged, no sucked ant larvae in any midden. Alcon 3 and 4 

 (now 6) were clrawn by Mr. E. C. Knight on 2nd. 



Nov. 5///. Nest 6. Alcon looks ail right but is outside brood 

 nest. 



Nov. ôth. Alcon seem in the attitude of curled round head 

 of grub with his own head in the concavity of the ant larva. 

 This alcon is looking well, that in 6 just outside heap of ant 

 larvae. 



