Honey-Producing Caterpillars. 137 



the honeyed secretion when it pleases the little creatures to 

 eject it, but all the while exercising the closest vigilance 

 lest some wary ichneumon may come along and deal a thrust 

 of its ovipositor, which means misery and ultimate death to 

 their helpless friends. So intent is the larva, with its 

 head buried in the flower, upon its feeding, and so quietly 

 and stealthily does the ichneumon approach its intended 

 victim, that hardly a single individual would be left to tell 

 the story of its existence were it not for the ants. The 

 larvae know their protectors, it would seem from their actions, 

 and are able and willing to reward their services. The 

 advantage is mutual, and the association friendly. No com- 

 pelling by rough means on the one part is noticeable, and 

 no reluctant yielding on the other. All demonstrations 

 made by the ants are of the most gentle character. They 

 caress, entreat, and as they drink in the sweet fluid, lifting 

 their heads to prolong the swallowing, they manifest to the 

 utmost their satisfaction and delight. It is amusing to see 

 them lick away the last trace, caressing the back of the 

 segment with their antennae as they do so, as though they 

 were coaxing for a little more. 



In Pseudargiolus the tubes are white, cylindrical, nearly 

 equal in size, rounded at summit, and studded with little 

 tuberculations from which arise the tentacles. These last 

 are tapering, armed with small spurs set in whorls, and stand 

 out straight, making a white hemispherical dome over the 

 cylinder, but none of them fall below the plane of the base 

 of the dome, nor do they ever hang limp or lie across the 

 dome, as is the case in a European species. When the tube 

 comes up the rays rise in a close pencil, and take position as 

 the dome expands ; but, on the contrary, when the tube is 

 withdrawn, the top of the dome sinks first, the rays coming 

 together in pencil again. 



Lyccsna pseudargiolus is subject to great variation, and 

 occurs under many forms, most of which having been 

 regarded as distinct species. In the early spring Violacea 



