420 MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 
think had at that time been the electric centipede (Geophilus electricus,) 
Lesser having once touched the anal horn of the caterpillar of some 
sphinx, suddenly turning its head round it yomited upon his hand a quan- 
tity of green viscous and very fetid fluid, which, though he: wasned it fre. 
quently with soap and fumed it with sulphur, infected it for two days,* 
Lister relates that he saw a spider, when upon being provoked it attempted 
to bite, emit several times small drops of very clear fluid? Mr. Briggs 
observed a caterpillar caught in the web of one of our largest spiders, by 
means of a fluid which it sent forth, entirely dissolve the great breadth of 
threads with which the latter endeavoured to envelop it, as fast as pro- 
duced, till the spider appeared quite exhausted. The caterpillars also of 
a particular tribe of saw-flies, remarkable for the beautiful pennated 
antennz of the males (Pferonus)*, when disturbed, eject a drop of fluid 
from their mouth. Those of one species inhabiting the fir-tree (Pt. Pini) 
are ordinarily stationed on the narrow leaves of that tree—which they 
devour most voraciously in the manner that we eat radishes — with their 
head towards the point. Sometimes two are engaged opposite to each 
other on the same leaf. They collect in groups often of more than a hun- 
dred, and keep as close to each other as they can. When a branch is 
stripped they all move together to another. Ir one of these caterpillars 
be touched or disturbed, it immediately with a twist lifts the anterior part 
of its body, and emits from its mouth a drop of clear resin, perfectly simi- 
lar both in odour and consistence to that of the firs What is still more 
remarkable, no sooner does a single individual of the group give itself this 
motion, than all the rest, as if they were moved by a spring, instantaneously 
do the same.® Thus these animals fire a volley, as it were, at their annoy- 
ers, the scent of which is probably sufficient to discomfit any ichneumons, 
flies, or predaceous beetles that may be desirous of attacking them. 
Amongst those which annoy their enemies by the emission of fluids from 
their anus are the larger Carabi. These, if roughly handled, will spirt to 
a considerable distance an acrid, caustic, stinking liquor, which, if it 
touch the eyes or the lips, occasions considerable pain.’ —The rose- 
scented capricorn (Cerambyx moschatus) produced a similar effect upon 
Mr. Sheppard by similar means. The fluid in this had a powerful odour 
of musk, — The acid of ants has long been celebrated, and is one of their 
most powerful means of defence. When the species that have no sting 
make a wound with their jaws, they insinuate into it some of this acid, the 
effluvia produced by which are so subtile and penetrating, that it is impos- 
sible to hold your head near the nest of the hill-ant (Hormica rufa), when 
the ants are much disturbed, without being almost suffocated. This odour 
thus proceeding from myriads of ants is powerful enough, it is said, to kill 
1 Lesser, 1. i. 284. note 6. 
2 De Araneis, 27. 1 
5 This gentleman is of opinion that spiders possess the means of re-dissolving 
their webs. He observed one, when its net was broken, run up its thread, and 
gathering a considerable mass of the web into aball, suddenly dissolve it with fluid. 
He also observes that, when winding up a powerful prey, a spider can form its 
threads into a broad sheet. 
4 Jurine, Hymenopt. t. vi. f. 8. 
5 De Geer, ii. 971. “ 
6 1 owe the knowledge of this circumstance to Mr. MacLeay. 
7 De Geer, iv. 86. Geoffr. i. 141. 
