MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 249 



tennae of the males (Pleronus Jurine) '', when disturbed 

 eject a drop of fluid from their mouth. Those of one 

 species inhabiting- the fir-tree {Pt. Pitri) are ordina- 

 rily stationed on the narrow leaves of that tree — which 

 they devour most voraciously in the manner that we 

 eat radishes — with their head towards the point. Some- 

 times two are engaged opposite to each other on the 

 same leaf They collect in groups often of more than 

 a hundred, and keep as close to each other as they can. 

 When a branch is stripped they all move together to 

 another. If one of these caterpillars be touched or 

 disturbed, it immediately with a twist lifts the anterior 

 part of its body, and emits from its mouth a drop of 

 clear resin, perfectly similar both in odour and con- 

 sistence to that of the fir^. What is still more remark- 

 able, no sooner does a single individual of the group 

 give itself this motion, than all the rest, as if they were 

 moved by a spring, instantaneously do the same ^ Thus 

 these animals fire a volley as it Avere at their annoyers, 

 the scent of which is probably sufficient to discomfit any 

 ichneumons, flies, or predaceous beetles that may be 

 desirous of attacking them. 



Amongst those which annoy their enemies by the 

 emission of fluids from their anus are the larger Carabi. 

 These, if roughly handled, will spirt to a considerable 

 distance an acrid, caustic, stinking* liquor, which if it 

 touch the eyes or the lips occasions considerable pain''. — 

 The rose-scented Capricorn {Cerambi/x moschatus, L.) 

 produced a similar eftect upon Mr. Sheppard by simi- 



^ Jurine Hymenopt. t.\i.f.8. * De Geer, ii. 971. 



•^ I owe the knowledge of this circumstance to Mr. MacLeay. 

 " De Geer, iv, 86. Geoffr, i. 141. 



