Insects : their life-histories and habits . PQ3 O. SO o « 5 •2 a 02 ~ a, O THE PROBLEM OF DEFENCE 107 charge can be repeated several times in rapid succession,though with diminishing force; and as the volatile acidis sufficiently corrosive to stain the human skin a rust-redcolour, one can imagine its demoralising effect upon thepursuing enemy. The entomologist Westwood relatesthat individuals of a large South American JBrachinus,when seized, immediately began to play off their artil-lery, burning and staining the flesh to such a degree thatonly a few specimens could be captured with the nakedh
Insects : their life-histories and habits . PQ3 O. SO o « 5 •2 a 02 ~ a, O THE PROBLEM OF DEFENCE 107 charge can be repeated several times in rapid succession,though with diminishing force; and as the volatile acidis sufficiently corrosive to stain the human skin a rust-redcolour, one can imagine its demoralising effect upon thepursuing enemy. The entomologist Westwood relatesthat individuals of a large South American JBrachinus,when seized, immediately began to play off their artil-lery, burning and staining the flesh to such a degree thatonly a few specimens could be captured with the nakedhand, leaving a mark which remained for a considerabletime. Some pine-feeding saw-fly larva? eject a resinous liquidfrom their mouths when irritated. They are gregarious ;and it is a remarkable fact, observed by many naturalists,that if one larva is touched, the whole colony instantlyresponds by a concerted twitching movement—everyindividual contributing its quota of the strong-smellingshower. This habit probably helps to defend the larva?aga
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectinsects, bookyear1913
