76 
out on September 1. Sunflower leaves infested by the larvee die and 
the whole plant looks as if scorched. About two weeks after hatch- 
ing the larve molt for the first time. During their entire life, Mrs. 
Rice noticed, almost every colony was guarded by one or more ants. 
When she raised the leaf to examine closer the ants gave battle and 
bit her finger. When she removed the ants the little leaf-hoppers, 
both larve and imagoes, scattered with astonishing celerity all over 
the plant. The ants returned and rounded them up exactly as the 
collie dog does sheep, placing one ant on guard if the colony were 
small and more if the colony were large. She noticed when one of 
the little leaf-hoppers strayed away an ant went after it and, with 
infinite patience, drove it home again. She noticed further that when 
Fic. 27.—ntilia sinuata; Adult nymph; swelling of stem due to eggs; angle at which eggs are 
laid (original). 
the larvee were ready to molt and the skin began to split on the back 
the ants supervised the process, seeming to peel off the empty larval 
skin. When one considers the fact that the leaf-hoppers in perfect 
condition can both fly and jump, the control which the ants maintain 
over them is remarkable. The writer had an opportunity of studying 
this interesting little insect during the month of August near Tanners- 
ville, N. Y., also upon sunflower, and from the specimens collected at 
that time the accompanying illustrations have been drawn. 
The swelling of the midrib, caused by the insertion of the eggs, was 
very pronounced, as shown at figure 27, while the exact angle at which 
the eggs are inserted is also shown at figure 27. 
