346 Mr. C. F. M. Swynnerton's Experiments 



of soaking up the liquid. I hope to repeat the experi- 

 ment. The greater repugnance shown for the very young 

 larvae is of great interest. It is in line with the dislike 

 shown for the eggs, and perhaps explains the greater 

 conspicuousness of certain newly-hatched larvae — for 

 instance, those of Papilio dardaniis. It is also in line 

 with native statements about nestling birds (alleged to 

 be in general less pleasant to eat than the adults), though 

 this has not been proved to apply to other enemies than 

 man. 



In a weak column of ants elsewhere I had tested a few 

 days previously larvae of Acraea caldarena (from a quarter 

 to nearly full-grown) against larvae of Precis natalensis of 

 the same sizes, also against a dull-coloured spider that I 

 happened to catch on the spot. The Acraea larvae escaped 

 by the use of the fluid secretion, but the Precis larvae 

 and the spider were killed and carried off. 



May 3rd.— Put dowTi an Atella phalantha egg. Numbers 

 of ants passed over it, but none stopped to examine. 

 Finally it suddenly disappeared. It must, I think, have 

 been picked up, but whether thrown out or carried along 

 I could not ascertain. A second was for some time passed 

 over unheeded in the same way, until suddenly a small 

 worker picked it up, dropped it quickly just outside and 

 passed on again. On my returning it, the egg was again 

 passed over as before and remained untaken when I had to 

 leave, a few minutes later. 



May 6th. — Put down two eggs of Charaxes candiope, 

 already Hghtly ringed. They were passed over and examined 

 and neglected by a number of ants, until finally an ant 

 examined one of them thoroughly, picked it up and going 

 a few inches down the column turned into an out-jutting 

 " creek " (so to speak) of ants, scrambled in amongst the 

 others, possibly consulting, came out again and a few 

 inches back the way she had come, then back again into 

 the little conclave, out again and back yet again. On her 

 emerging this time my attention was diverted to a pro- 

 longed examination that was taking place of the second 

 egg, and I could not again trace the first, so am unaware 

 of its eventual fate. I added two more C. candiopc eggs 

 to the second (the examination of which had ended in 

 ejection from the colunm), also two eggs each of P. 

 demodocus, Atella i)^^(dantlia and hippocoon, and four or 

 five (together) of A. acara (dark ^^^th incubation). I 



