136 Life and Immortality. 
Ants seldom attempt to caress or solicit young larva, but 
pass them by with indifference, seemingly knowing that they 
cannot emit the secretion. When an ant approaches one of 
these immature larve, the larva manifests considerable 
annoyance, throwing up the hinder segments, as though the 
ant was an enemy which it was desirous to get ridof. Ifthe 
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 larve. Twoare 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 larvz 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 larve may be found, ever ready to receive 
