230 A NATURALIST IN BORNEO 



simulatory devices was the flatness of the area 

 bounded by the two " eye-stripes " on the dorsal 

 surface of segments 3, 4. This area, together with 

 segments i, 2 was pink, reticulated with fine brown 

 lines, giving an impression of the scutes on a snake's 

 head; these were particularly well marked on ^he ist 

 and 2nd segments, looking extremely like the division 

 between the internasal and prefrontal shields. When 

 the larva was moving about with the anterior seg- 

 ments well expanded, the snake-like appearance was 

 not so marked, but directly it was touched the 

 anterior segments of the body were drawn together 

 and turned towards the aggressor, and then the 

 resemblance was striking. 



Another remarkable mimetic caterpillar is a little 

 reddish-brown larva of a Noctuid moth which Mr. 

 H. N. Ridley found at Singapore on leaves much 

 frequented by the savage Keringa Ant, (Ecophylla 

 smaragdina. Subsequently I was fortunate enough to 

 see one of these caterpillars alive. Nearly all the seg- 

 ments of the body are furnished with fragile tentacle- 

 like processes. The anal prolegs are large, and can 

 be completely divaricated ; just above each is a promi- 

 nent black spot. When the larva is irritated, the 

 posterior part of the body is immediately reared up, 

 the anal prolegs are thrown widely apart, and the 

 more posterior tentacles are violently agitated. When 

 the larva is seen end-on it looks very like an ant, the 

 anal legs mimicking the open jaws of the ant, the 

 eye-spots like ant's eyes, the tentacles like the legs, 

 while the antennae are represented by the last pair of 

 tentacles which are elbowed like these organs in an 

 ant. It is very difficult to convey by a description, or 



