LYCiENA II., III. 
13 
not till the latter part of the same stage to emit the secretion. The ants, when 
confined with larvae in the first stage, treat them with indifference. I introduced 
ants to larvae in separate glass tubes, some larvae being at the middle and some 
near the end of the second stage; that is, before the second moult. One of the 
larvae was caressed several times, but no tube appeared. One larva objected to 
the ant, thrashed its anterior segments about, and the ant left it. Introduced ant 
at one day after third moult; ant, greatly excited at finding itself imprisoned,ran 
about the tube, often coming close to the larva, even touching it, and then ran 
across it, apparently taking no heed of it. But after the ant had quieted, it came 
to larva, soliciting as usual. Then the tubes were seen, and a drop of fluid came 
from 11, which the ant drank eagerly. It returned to 11 several times, but ob¬ 
tained no more. On same day, introduced an ant to two lai\a3 in last pait of 
third stage ; that is, just before the third moult. There was a slight movement of 
the tubes in one larva, a mere point protruding, but no more, and no fluid. The 
other larva did not respond at all, and the ant left both. 
But on another day, experimenting with a larva also in third stage, the tubes 
were seen to play actively. I could not make out a drop on 11, but the ant held 
its mouth at the orifice for some seconds. It is after the fourth moult, in the last 
larval stage, that the fluid flows freely at the solicitations of the ants. This occurs, 
however, only with the summer larvas, on Rattle-weed, the flower of which is of 
exceeding sweetness. I do not remember to have seen an ant on a Dogwood 
flower but in a single instance, and when ants are placed with Dogwood larvae 
they soon become indifferent to them. Just so, in the fall, when the larvae are 
feeding on Actinomeris, which has a dry flower, bitter to the taste. I have 
seen an ant approach a mature larva on this plant, and after a moment s investi¬ 
gation turn away. My observations in 1878 led me to think that the tubes 
served as signals to the ants to approach segment 11, and subsequent obseiva- 
tions afford no better explanation. I have observed in larvae of last stage, where 
no ants were present, that the tubes were occasionally but irregularly piotiucled, 
one appearing without the other, or both at same time, a veiy little oi almost 
fully out, but without the tentacles spreading ; and at such times I never could see 
any movement at 11. The presence of the ants seems necessaiy to that; that 
is, the larva emitted the fluid when aware that its friend was near. Any teasing 
on my part failed to provoke a discovery of the tubes, as seems natural, for they 
certainly are not for defense. At least four species of ants accompany these lai 
vm, the smallest of which is scarcely one eighth inch long. The gentle demon¬ 
strations of these little creatures were most interesting, as if asking favois but 
claiming no right, and grateful for what they got. 
In 1879, Dr. J. Gibbons Hunt kindly made observations on these larval organs, 
