8io 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXXIII. 



Fig. 



in a corked vial, and had all collapsed by the next day. The 

 second lot were placed in an open vial, which was left on the 

 ground for a little while, and the ants carried off all the speci- 

 mens. A third lot in open vials retained their shape in some 



degree, but were all more or less 

 shriveled. One placed in alcohol 

 immediately dissolved. 



The purpose of this structure is 

 to attract the female. When nu- 

 merous males were flying up and 

 down the road, it happened several 

 times that a female was seen to 

 approach them from some choke- 

 cherry blossoms near by. The 

 males immediately gathered in her 

 path, and she with little hesitation selected for a mate the one 

 with the largest balloon, taking a position iiptm his back. After 

 copulation had begun, the pair would settle down towards the 

 ground, select a quiet spot, and the female would alight by 

 placing her front legs 

 across a horizontal 

 grass blade, her head 

 resting against the 

 blade so as to brace 

 the body in position. 

 Here she would con- 

 tinue to hold the male 

 beneath her for a little 

 time, until the process 

 was finished. The 

 male, meanwhile, 

 would be rolling the 

 balloon about in a va- 

 riety of positions, jug- 

 gling with it, one might almost say. After the male and female 

 parted company, the male immediately dropped the balloon 

 upon the ground, and it was greedily seized by ants. 



Of the accompanying sketches. Fig. i shows the position of 



