LARV^. OF LYC7ENA BELLARGUS AND ANTS. 219 



mouth-parts, iDincliing in a circular depression, and so deforming 

 the relations of parts that the mandihies are quite useless and 

 unahle to bite. When the head falls off normally, and the new 

 head is relieved from the pressure of the old skin and head, it 

 undergoes some little further expansion before it hardens ; it is 

 probably this expansion that normally makes the old head fall 

 off, but when it does not, it results in the strangulation above 

 the mouth-parts and the accompanying deformity. 



When a larva fails in this or any other way to moult 

 successfully, there is usually some ascertainable cause; often 

 removal from the silken carpet or cocoon spun for the occasion 

 has a disastrous effect ; some debility, as by rearing in captivity 

 under bad conditions, may frequently be suspected. In the 

 larva of A.popidi under discussion a cause of debility is very 

 evident ; it has no caudal horn, the site of the horn is occupied 

 by a vacancy in the yellow stripes. There can be little doubt 

 that the horn was lost by some accident, bitten probably by one 

 of its brethren, the larva being one of a brood reared together, 

 and by this accident, probably in the previous instar, whatever 

 it was, more or less general damage by bleeding probably 

 occurred, as well as the local injury. 



Betula, Reigate, September, 190G. 



LARV^ OF LYC.ENA BELLARGUS AND THEIR 

 ASSOCIATION WITH ANTS. 



By A. L. Rayward. 



Since finding larvse of Lycana corydon in association with 

 ants — as reported by me in the last number of the 'Entomo- 

 logist ' — I have been desirous of discovering the larva of L. 

 bellargus in its natural habitat, as from the fact that it is very 

 similar in its structure and habits to that of corydon, and feeds 

 on Hippocrepis comosa, which is one of the food-plants of that 

 species, I was led to expect that it might be similarly associated 

 with ants, and be possessed of as highly -developed a secretory 

 gland as that found on the dorsal surface of the seventh abdo- 

 minal segment of its ally. 



This expectation proved to be well-founded, for of seven full- 

 grown larvoe of bellargus taken by Mr. A. Harrison and myself 

 at Folkestone on August 11th and 12th last, at least two had 

 ants upon them when found, and in one instance an ant was 

 observed to be busy stroking the gland with its antennae in 

 the endeavour to excite the flow of the liquid secreted by that 

 organ, and with the desirable qualities of which it was evidently 

 familiar. 



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