578 Mr. F. P. Dodd on some Remarkable 
such numbers are a pikonial these two nests being 
large and favourably situated; it was not often that I 
found as many as twenty in one habitation. 
Having taken larvae in various stages of growth, I was 
greatly puzzled at being unable to obtain them below a 
certain size ; however, I eventually found under the bark 
of a tree, near a nest, a number of small oval, flat and 
recently spun cocoons, and upon opening one observed 
a bug-shaped larva, and very naturally supposed it was 
that of a new carnivorous insect, as the cocoon much 
resembled another flat and almost circular one known to 
me, and also had the “frogmouthed” opening character- 
istic of cocoons spun by the several species of ant-friend 
caterpillars which I found here. To my surprise these 
small cocoons produced caterpillars, totally different in 
shape from the one I had seen three days before, in fact 
they were similar to the small larvae which I had found 
in the ants’ nests, though less brightly coloured. Here, 
then, was a discovery; but why had I failed to meet with 
the bug-like larvae in the ants’ nests, for there one would 
suppose them to be? Many weary hours were spent in 
searching the interior of ditierent mounds in the hope of 
finding these tiny caterpillars, but all im vain, and I feared 
that they were never to be found by me, for I did not 
relish delving away at the hard mounds and having to 
submit to the bites of the infuriated ants, for they have 
strong, sharp mandibles and nip most unpleasantly ; they 
are in countless numbers and swarm rapidly up one’s legs 
and along the handles of the digging instruments, and 
fight to the death. Though always keeping my trousers 
well tied at the bottom when amongst the ants, I find 
it impossible to stay there beyond a few minutes at a 
time, for many get under the clothing, and lively moments 
ensue in battling with them. Those on the legs can be 
shaken off, or beaten down, many being killed, then scores 
more squeeze into one’s boots, and are crushed. It is a 
pity that in the fierce defence of their homes such results 
follow—they deserve as considerate treatment as possible, 
for so much deeply interesting knowledge is to be gained 
by studying them ; then they are such willing and energetic 
workers, and harmless enough until interfered with, and 
though they bite sharply they inject no irritating poison. 
Last year (1902) I spent much time in forming a collec- 
tion of the ants of this district, adding such homopterous 
