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Show 258 M R. E. B. POULTON ON THE PROTECTIVE [Mar. 1, TABLE \ Species and Class or Order. HYMENOPTERA. Winged females of Ants, sp. ? Workers of Ants, sp. ? Protective resemblance, or habits of concealment, evasion, &c. 4. IMAGINES OP OTHER INSECTS AND A P E W ARTIIROPODA Colour and some of the habits appear to be protective. The gregarious habits, however, make thein conspicuous, but are very important in rendering their acid secretion more formidable. Workers made use of in all cases. The brown colouring renders the insects somewhat inconspicuous. The comparison in this respect with the more formidable Wasp is interesting. The insects bear considerable superficial resemblance to the workers of the last species. Newman states, " always I believe on herbaceous plants, never ascending trees." In this respect Newman is mistaken, for I have frequently found the full-grown larva feeding on the leaves of plum in m y own garden, and it was such an individual which was given to L. muralis. I can now add m y own experience of the larval habits subsequent to tbe period at which Newman has described them. In the winter of 1884-5, I kept a number of larvae and watched them from time to time throughout the whole period of hybernation. As the room in which they were kept was warmed, they frequently woke up at night and fed upon the Calceolaria-leaves with which they were supplied. I was most interested in observing the extreme care with which they were concealed by day. If there were any brown leaves among the food the larvse would always get upon these, and, not content with the harmony between their colour and that of the leaf, would force their way into furrows and folds, so that they came to lie in deep shadow and were often quite concealed. I took some pains to see what the larvae would do when all the brown leaves were carefully removed, and I found that, by seeking the darkest corners |