S76® MEO 0; Fargfirson’s Five Years’ Observations 
Aug. 12, 1918.—I have posted two parcels, one contain- 
ing a flowering specimen—in spirit—of the Argiolaus- 
Loranthus [Z. incanus Schum. and Thonn.]. I shall get 
fruits later. 
10. An “ Electric” Sensation caused by handling the 
Larvae of Argiolaus and allied Genera. 
Dec. 27, 1917—Xmas here was a very quiet time. I 
spent all of it, except the evening, in the open and was on 
the whole rewarded. I made a curious discovery in hand- 
ling two (species, I think) of the Loranthus larvae. These 
larvae are of very characteristic shape, which is difficult to 
describe. They are rather Molluscoid or Limacoid than 
onisciform, though they are smooth except at the margin, 
which is minutely bristly, doubtless to protect the feet. 
The “ carapace” besides comes right down so that the feet 
are not visible. In section the larvae are more or less 
triangular. The posterior part is bilobed, and in one of the 
species there are little lobes anteriorly. They have tubercles, 
exserted very rarely, but if they have a gland it is hard to 
see. | recall my note above [pp. 369, 370] on the absence of 
attendant ants in view of what I am about to tell you, which 
I had not observed before. These larvae are relatively 
large so that it is possible to lift them between the finger 
and thumb towards the anterior end, and without the skin 
of the fingers coming in contact with the marginal over- 
fold. In handling one of these, [ suddenly was conscious 
of a curious sensation in my finger and thumb which is 
very difficult of description. As near as possible it 
reminded me of a very faint electric shock, not accompanied 
by a prickly sensation but rather as if one were being 
tickled by a tiny brush of slightly strong bristles. Now the 
skin of the finger and thumb, or the parts used in handling 
a small object is fairly hard and not over-sensitive. I 
doubt if mere surface mechanical irritation by minute 
bristles, which I cannot detect even with a x10 Zeiss 
pocket lens, could have produced the effect. The sensa- 
tion was not that of tickling so much as that of a faint 
shock, which was not continuous but rapidly intermittent. 
The skin of the larva is covered with yellow dots, very 
minute and scarcely visible to the unaided eye, like gland- 
ular dots on a leaf. To make sure that the whole thing was 
not illusion I got my boy to hold one and to say if he felt 
anything. He replied in good “ pidgin’’—‘ he scratch 
my hand,” by which I think he meant tickles. At any 
