Maternal Attendance on the Larva. 233 



when her flexible tarsi enable her to cling pretty firmly, some of the 

 articulations being wrapped round the other side of the leaf. I at 

 first imagined that she might facilitate their exclusion by gnawing a 

 passage for them through the epidermis of the leaves ; but, from the 

 apertures (of which there are but two or three) being circular, and 

 but just sufficient to allow of the egress of the larvae, it seems more 

 probable that they are made by them, as her large mandibles are by 

 no means fitted for such delicate workmanship. The larvae, when 

 hatched, are of a dirty green colour, with shining black heads ; they 

 keep together in the brood, arranging themselves in oval masses, 

 their heads pointing outwards ; but sometimes I have seen them 

 arranged on both sides of the leaves, their heads pointing towards 

 the edges. The former is their attitude when not eating, which 

 they appear to do at night ; at least I never observed them very 

 actively engaged in the daytime. The mother insect follows them, 

 sitting with outstretched legs over her brood, preserving them 

 from the heat of the sun, and protecting them from the attacks of 

 parasites and other enemies with admirable perseverance. I endea- 

 voured to drive some from their posts by pricking them with the 

 point of a black-lead pencil ; but they refused to leave, seiz- 

 ing whatever was presented to them in their mandibles, no doubt 

 very formidable weapons when employed against their own race. 

 They never offered to use their wings or move from the spot. In 

 one instance a nest of eggs and group of larvae being on two nearly 

 contiguous leaves, the mother of the former had deserted hers for 

 the latter, two being found attending on that group, the one partially 

 clinging on the back of the other, which showed no disposition of 

 resenting it. In another instance two were found attending on one 

 nest of eggs : the nest being rather large I at first thought they 

 might each have had a share in its construction, but a group of larvae 

 a little distance off being without any guard, it seemed to be another 

 case of desertion. I put one of them on the leaf which had the larvae, 

 when she seemed much discomposed at first, but in a little time 

 stretched herself over the group as though her own, which indeed it 

 might have been. But to put to a certain test whether they were 

 capable of distinguishing, or led by any particular care for their indi- 

 vidual progeny, on the 1 5th April I transposed two specimens, so 

 distinct that I should know them again. When first placed on each 

 other's nests they seemed somewhat uneasy, as was to be expected 

 from handling them, but on examining them the next day they 

 appeared perfectly reconciled to the change. They continue resting 

 on these leaves until death puts a termination to their labours, a 

 period of from four to six weeks, and the principal object of their 



