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III. On the emergence of Myrmeleon formicarius from the 

 pupa. By W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S. 



[Kead December 6th, 1905.] 



In this species, striking changes take place in the structure 

 of the mandibles as the insect passes from the larval to 

 the imaginal stage. The object of this paper is to call 

 attention to these changes, and especially to the modifica- 

 tions of the pupal mandible to fit it for cutting open the 

 cocoon — an operation not, however, performed by the pupa 

 (strictly speaking) but by the imago, immediately before 

 it sheds the pupal skin. A few notes are added on the 

 larval habits as observed by Dr. Chapman and myself. 

 Though these probably contain nothing new, they may 

 interest English entomologists who have few opportunities 

 of seeing these curious larvse. 



[Notes on the larv?e made by T. A. Chapman, M.D., 

 before they passed into my possession. — "I brought home 

 several of these Ant-lion larva3 on Aug. 10th, 1904, having 

 found them a week or so earlier at La Granja (Spain). 

 They were there very abundant amongst what was rather 

 dry dusty earth — scarcely sand — in the pine forest, where 

 the trees were even somewhat densely placed. They 

 were quite under the trees, most abundant in fact close to 

 their roots, so that it may well be, that they preferred such 

 places as being less exposed to rain. They were sometimes 

 so abundant that a square foot was occupied by eight or 

 ten of them of various sizes. During the six weeks I 

 had them at home before passing them on to Mr. Lucas 

 they ate a good many larvae, chiefly of small Lepidoptera. 

 If the larva was too large, they avoided it and were with 

 difficulty got to seize it. In this they were well-advised, 

 since the result was either that the larva jerked itself 

 loose, or jerked the ant-lion out of the sand, into what 

 would naturally be a position of much danger. A small 

 larva, when once seized had no chance of escape, and after 

 a few spasmodic twists, became passive and was soon 

 dead. When hungry, the ant-lion sucked the larva very 

 dry, so that a minute shred only remained, if the larva 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1906. — PART T. (MAY) 



