586 Mr. F. P. Dodd on some Remarkable 
case like this, signal of distress, is disregarded. None of 
the liquid or matter is ever dropped, but when portions 
of the latter are left by the ants, it will whilst soft adhere 
to the box when the larvae happen to wander about. The 
exhibits include a piece of paper showing frass marks of 
neglected larvae. In my earlier experiments with the 
small tailed larvae by themselves, also the larvae of the 
next species, they sickened and died in several days, but 
after ascertaining the cause others were easily kept alive, 
without the ants, for three weeks, by cleaning them with 
a small soft brush dipped in warm water; of course fresh 
grubs were supplied at intervals, so I suspected that the 
ants performed the necessary duties and finally verified 
my suspicions. So we find that the caterpillars are of the 
same service to the ants as many Lycaenid larvae and 
various homopterous insects, including the so-called “ant 
cows,” the Aphides, and that they are not possessed of 
special emitting tubes like most of these. 
Occasionally an ant will lick or brush a caterpillar, and 
run its mandibles over the points of the segments, and I 
have seen the latter apparently doing the same to a com- 
panion, though it is not of common occurrence, but the 
caterpillars often do something similar to the ants! This 
process of licking, brushing, or whatever it may be, is quite 
an everyday performance, and I cannot give any informa- 
tion as to its meaning, though I suppose there is something 
obnoxious to the ants which they desire to have removed. 
An ant clearly exhibits an inclination to undergo this 
operation, and will stand or crouch by a larva for some 
time, awaiting its pleasure to attend to her. Should the 
larva have its forward segments held up she will run 
under, but if they are not she will make the most strenuous 
endeavours to induce it to raise them so that she can 
get underneath. Whilst the operation is proceeding she 
crouches or lies down, and evidently enjoys herself, judging 
by her quiet and general behaviour and the gentle motions 
of her antennae. The operator holds her down and briskly 
runs its head over and about her, the bases of the hind- 
legs and the petiole being the places principally engaging 
attention ; however, the small quickly-moving head per- 
forms some service greatly to the relief of the ant. The 
operation may last two or three minutes, now and then 
an ant becomes restless and struggles a little, upon which 
she is released, and she moves away, then spends a few 
