198 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



antennse excitedly. In a few moments it found its way to 

 the gland on the seventh abdominal segment, and stroked 

 it with a rapid movement of the antennae and first pair of 

 legs. This action was repeated several times, when suddenly 

 the gland was distended, and one or two — and occasionally, 

 during subsequent experiments, three — tiny beads of a crystal- 

 clear fluid were slowly expelled, and were greedily sucked up by 

 the ant. 



Several larvae and a number of ants were experimented with 

 in this way, and there was usually little difficulty in obtaining a 

 successful demonstration, although it was observed that some 

 ants found their way to the gland much more quickly than 

 others, possibly because of their having had previous experience 

 of the function of this organ. 



I also observed that at intervals, while the ants were running 

 over the body of the larva, two prominent tubercles, situated 

 near the lateral ridge on the eighth abdominal segment, one on 

 either side, behind and lower than the ninth spiracle, were 

 quickly evaginated and withdrawn, sometimes singly, but fre- 

 quently both together. Though these tubercles are supposed to 

 be — and very probably are — scent-organs to attract the ant to 

 the gland, it was noticed during these experiments that they 

 were most active when the larva appeared to resent the attempts 

 of the ant to obtain fluid from the gland, as was sometimes the 

 case. At this time the gland was contracted and withdrawn 

 below the surrounding surface of the segment, and the rapid 

 erection and withdrawal of the tubercles generally resulted in 

 momentarily distracting the ant's attention, causing it to leave 

 the gland, to which, however, it usually quickly returned. 



Wallington, August 4th, 1906. 



CUERENT NOTES: 1905-6. 

 By G. W. Kiekaldy. 



These notes are intended to present some account, neces- 

 sarily imperfect, of current literature, particularly in groups and 

 faunas of special interest to the British entomologist. There 

 are many papers published, e.g., in America, of great value to 

 British workers, although dealing exclusively with American 

 forms. Such are those by Nathan Banks, Bueno, Daecke, 

 MacGillivray, Needham, and Williamson, noticed in the pre- 

 sent instalment. It is taken for granted that readers of the 

 * Entomologist ' are familiar with the periodicals of their own 

 country. 



