1 36 Life and Immortality. 



Ants seldom attempt to caress or solicit young larvae, but 

 pass them by with indifference, seemingly knowing that they 

 cannot emit the secretion. When an ant approaches one of 

 these immature larvae, the larva manifests considerable 

 annoyance, throwing up the hinder segments, as though the 

 ant was an enemy which it was desirous to get rid of. If the 

 tubes could now be thrust out, the ant would be attracted, 

 rather than repelled. 



But when the period arrives that the tubes are free, and 

 the secretion is ready to be ejected, which is perhaps just 

 after the third skin-moulting, and it cannot be earlier, the 

 larva grows now quiet and submissive, inviting the atten- 

 tions of the ants, and rewarding their antennal caresses. 



Four species of parasites affect these larvae. Two are dip- 

 terous. These, which are of the size of the common house- 

 fly, deposit their eggs, during the second larval stage, on the 

 back, and near the junction of the second and third segments. 

 In process of time the grubs hatch and eat their way into the 

 larva, to emerge when the latter has become fully grown, 

 thus destroying its life. Another of these enemies is a 

 minute hymenopterous insect, whose egg is placed in the 

 very young larva, probably in the first stage of its life. The 

 grub, in this case, eats its way out of the half-grown larva, 

 spins a silken cocoon, from which in a few days issues the 

 newly-matured parasite. The destruction of larvae by these, 

 and very likely by other similar parasites, is doubtless im- 

 mense. But no parasite attacks, it does seem, the mature 

 larva, for, if it did, the grub of the former would live within 

 and destroy the chrysalis, and instead of a butterfly emerging 

 therefrom would come forth the parasite. Multitudes of 

 chrysalids of other species of butterflies are thus destroyed, 

 but Pseudargiolus, at this stage, appears to enjoy a singular 

 immunity from enemies. 



Why this species, and doubtless many others of its family, 

 are thus favored, will soon be apparent. Ants may be seen 

 wherever these larvae may be found, ever ready to receive 



