LIFE HISTORY. 31 



consist of a pair of mandibles, a pair of maxillae, and a labium, 

 and usually only the mandibles are more strongly chitinized. The 

 maxillae are furnished on their outer sides with a short blunt 

 chitinous tooth, as is also the labium, and on the latter, two ring- 

 like spots may be seen in some species, being the larval structure 

 which will become the labial palpi of the imago. Although these 

 rings are figured by various writers on ant -larvae, I have not seen 

 any mention of them or suggestion as to their nature. The spinning 

 glands open on the tip of the labium, and are present as well in 

 those species whose larvae do not spin cocoons as in those which do. 

 The antennae are nearly always wanting in ant-larvae, but Emery 

 has pointed out that in certain exotic species, vestigial antennae 

 are present. I have observed certain rings on the heads (similar 

 to those on the labium before mentioned) of Myrmica larvae, which 



Labrum 



Vestigial 



labial palpi 



Labium 



Fig. 43. Head of larva of Myrmica scabrinodis. 



are situated in exactly the same position as the rudimentary 

 antennae discovered by Emery in other genera, and these rings 

 no doubt represent antennae of a still more vestigial character. 



The larvae of ants are very seldom naked, being furnished with 

 hairs of various kinds, spines, tubercles, etc. 



The hairs may be long, or short, simple, serrate, bifurcate, or 

 trifurcate, branched, hooked, or anchor-tipped, etc., and several 

 kinds of hairs may occur on the same larva. 



The spines, some kinds of tubercles, and perhaps some hairs, 

 serve to protect the larva against the attacks of its fellows a 

 hungry larva will sometimes devour another and also may prevent 

 its body from coming in too close contact with the damp ground. 

 The longer hairs which terminate with a single or double hook 

 (anchor-tipped in the latter case) are used in hanging the larvae 

 on to the walls or roof of their dwelling, and also in causing the 

 younger ones to adhere together in small bundles some tubercles 

 and probably other hairs also serve for this purpose so that they 

 can be more quickly moved by the workers. 



The long hooked hairs are curved somewhat in the shape of a 



