204 ANIMAL COLORATION. 



the other insect, which has given it its name of Tnchi ii.ru * 

 (Thread-tail). 



Dr. Seitz also describes f a Humming-bird Hawk moth, 

 which closely imitates a particular humming-bird. The re- 

 semblance, although clear enough to our eyes, does not deceive 

 the insect ; for it makes no attempt to pair with the humming- 

 bird. And it is notorious that insects are sometimes deceived 

 into believing an insect of a different species to be a suitable 

 mate. 



If the insect, with its limited and imperfect vision (see p. 228) 

 is proof against a deception which is enough to strike an 

 observant naturalist, would birds be? 



A more remarkable case still is perhaps that of a >Sesiid 

 belonging to the genus Melittu. The singular resemblance 

 which the Sesiida?, or Clearwing moths, bear to various Hymeno- 

 ptera and Diptera is a fact which almost every one can have 

 the opportunity of verifying, since one or two species are fairly 

 common S. tipuliformis very common. But the Sesiidee, as 

 a rule, are not active in their habits ; they have a fondness for 

 sunning themselves upon leaves. This Mditta, which Dr. Seitz 

 observed, resembles an Anthophora, not only in colour, but in 

 habit. Contrary to what is generally found in the Sesiidas, this 

 particular insect hovers in front of a flower just like the bee, 

 which it mimics, does. 



Mr. H. 0. Forbes, in his " A Naturalist's Wanderings/' 

 notes the mimicry of a dragon-fly by a butterfly, Leptocircus 

 is ; the butterfly was captured on the margin of a small 



' It is suggested by Kirby and Spence (" An Introduction to Ento- 

 mology," 7th edition, p. 473 ) that these processes serve as a kind of 

 rudder to assist them when flying. We get, therefore, a clue to their 

 origin quite apart from mimicry. 



1- Stettiiter Ent.Zeitschrift, 1K!)!>, p. 258. 



