APRIL, 1906. THE CHEMICAL NATURE OF SOME INSECT SECRETIONS. 25 
The myriapod "Petaserpes rosalbus secretes a considerable 
quantity of a milky substance which has the perfume of gum 
camphor." (Cope '70) (see also Banks, Science, 00, p. 649) 
Cook ('90) noted camphor also in Polysonium, a closely related 
form. These seem to be the only recorded occurrences of cam- 
phor in the animal kingdom, but in the absence of chemical evi- 
dence must of course remain doubtful. The occurrence of canthar- 
idine in members of the Meloidae may be mentioned in this connec- 
tion. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Finally, the assertion that free iodine in present is the gaseous 
secretion of the Paussid Beetle, Cerapterus quadrimaculatus must 
be noticed. (Loman '87). The close similarity between the purely 
organic secretion of the Spirobolus described in the sequel and 
the physical characteristics of free iodine in solution cause us to 
doubt Loman's observation. 
ACID. 
A small leaf beetle (Notodonta) is stated to secrete hydro- 
chloric acid. (Denham '88). Another leaf beetle, (Una) suppos- 
edly secretes Hydrocaynic acid according to Candeze ('74). It 
has long been known that ants produce formic acid in great quan- 
tity, while this acid is probably present in the poison of all wasps 
(Forel '78). The relative amount in various species of ants will 
be tabulated in the special part of this paper. Butyric acid as well 
as formic occurs in nearly all the Carabidse associated with other 
substances. The whip scorpion (Thelyphonus) secretes acetic 
acid (Marx. '86) in such quantity that a stream is ejected from 
each side of the body which fact has earned its Mexican name of 
"vinagron". According to Claus ('87) the myriapod Fontaria 
secretes a fluid which contains free hydrocyanic acid. Cope ('70) 
and Wheeler ('90) have both demonstrated that the allied Poly- 
desmus virginieiisis secretes free hydrocyanic acid. 
ALKALINE. 
< The only recorded case of a strong alkali being found in the 
animal kingdom is in Dicranura, and some other moths, which 
produce potassium hydroxide at the last moult in order to soften 
the silk of the cocoon ( Latter '92 and 95 ) . Strangely enough the 
larva of this same insect produces formic acid in quantity (Mel- 
dola '92). 
