Ffoney-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 
larve 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 antennz 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withdrawn, the top of the dome sinks first, the rays coming 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. 
Lycena 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 
