The Primary Larva of the Sitares 



their jaws are so fine that a microscopic ex- 

 amination failed to show them to me. The 

 larvse, it is true, are provided with powerful 

 mandibles ; but these finely-pointed mandibles, 

 with their backward curve, though excellent 

 for tugging at food and tearing it to pieces, 

 are useless for grinding it or gnawing it. 

 Lastly, we have a final proof of the passive 

 condition of the Sitaris-larvae on the body 

 of the Anthophorae in the fact that the Bees 

 do not appear to be in any way incommoded 

 by their presence, since we do not see them 

 trying to rid themselves of the grubs. Some 

 Anthophorae which were free from these 

 grubs and some others which were carrying 

 five or six upon their bodies were placed 

 separately in glass jars. When the first dis- 

 turbance resulting from their captivity was 

 appeased, I could see nothing peculiar about 

 those occupied by the young Sitares. And, 

 if all these arguments were not sufficient, I 

 might add that a creature which has already 

 been able to spend seven months without 

 food and which in a few days' time will pro- 

 ceed to drink a highly-flavoured fluid would 

 be guilty of a singular inconsistency if it 

 were to start nibbling the dry fleece of a Bee. 

 It therefore seems to me undeniable that the 

 young Sitares settle on the Anthophora's body 

 61 



