NOTES. 
135 
temporary shelters for themselves by biting a long curved slit in a 
leaf and folding back the included area, the edges being fastened 
down by mucus secreted from the mouth of the insect. The insect 
rests under this shelter and sallies forth in search of its prey, which 
consists of other insects smaller than itself. These grasshoppers 
often fly into bungalows, attracted by the lights, and then set to 
work to construct shelters of any material that comes handy. I 
have seen a semicircular piece cut in a lace curtain and folded back 
to cover the body of the insect. I have recently received a piece of 
office paper treated in the same way. In this case the operator was 
Gryllacris cequalis. The cut was made as neatly as if executed with 
a pair of scissors, and takes the form of a double curve with a back¬ 
ward loop at the inner extremity. The excised area measures three 
and a half by one and a half inches. This insect, in captivity, fed 
freely upon spiders, crickets, and small moths. 
(d) The Cockroach as a Predatory Insect.—The list of the natural 
enemies of termites (in the winged stage) is already a long one ; but 
I have now to add the cockroach to the number. Whilst watching 
a flight of white ants fluttering against the outside of my window, 
my attention was attracted by one that appeared to be in difficulties. 
On looking closer, I saw that it was in the grasp of a large cockroach 
(Blatta australasice) , which had commenced to feed upon it. The 
cockroach was holding down the struggling termite with its front legs. 
(e) The Hairs of Caterpillars a protection against Ants. —I have 
often wondered how any insect could exist on a bush infested by 
the ferocious red ant (CEcophylla smaragdina). Yet it is a common 
occurrence to find the leaves of such bushes attacked by caterpillars 
of various kinds. The small hairy larva of a Lithosiid moth was 
observed on a leaf adjacent to the nest of these red ants. To see in 
what manner it protected itself, the caterpillar was dropped into the 
middle of a horde of the ants that had emerged from their nest on the 
disturbance of the bush, and were drawn up ready to attack any 
intruder. They rushed at the apparently defenceless caterpillar, 
but were met by a “ cheval de frise ” of projecting hairs. The cater¬ 
pillar, meanwhile, calmly commenced to walk through the angry 
crowd. One or two more intelligent ants each seized a hair; but, 
without interrupting the even tenour of its course, the caterpillar 
shed the captured hairs and finally walked out of the baffled crowd. 
(/) Insect Fauna of Sigiriya Rock. —The Sigiri rock rises out of 
the plains to a height of about 1,150 feet. The sides of the rock are 
so sheer that an elaborate system of iron ladders and railings has been 
erected to enable the visitors to reach the summit, where are the 
remains of the famous native fortress. The ground at the top is 
more or less covered with coarse grass, which affords a home to 
innumerable Acridian grasshoppers. Many dragon flies were 
observed, and a single butterfly (Eulepis athamas) was circling round 
a small bush growing out of the stones of the trigonometrical station. 
7(14)09 
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