Chap. XL] BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 383 



ment, in the open air, with a T. fimbria and swallow ; 

 but the large size of this moth probably interfered with 

 its capture. 8 We are thus reminded of a statement made 

 by Mr. Wallace, 9 namely, that, in the Brazilian forests and 

 Malayan islands, many common and highly-decorated but- 

 terflies are weak flyers, though furnished with a broad ex- 

 panse of wings ; and they " are often captured with pierced 

 and broken wings, as if they had been seized by birds, 

 from which they had escaped : if the wings had been much 

 smaller in proportion to the body, it seems probable that 

 the insect would more frequently have been struck or 

 pierced in a vital part, and thus the increased expanse of 

 the wings may have been indirectly beneficial." 



Display. — The bright colors of butterflies and of some 

 moths are specially arranged for display, whether or not 

 they serve in addition as a protection. Bright colors 

 would not be visible during the night : and there can be 

 no doubt that moths, taken as a body, are much less gayly 

 decorated than butterflies, all of which are diurnal in their 

 habits. But the moths in certain families, such as the 

 Zygffinidse, various Sphingidae, Uraniidae, some Arctiidae 

 and Saturniidaa, fly about during the day or early evening, 

 and many of these are extremely beautiful, being far more 

 brightly colored than the strictly nocturnal kinds. A few 

 exceptional cases, however, of brightly-colored nocturnal 

 species have been recorded. 10 



There is evidence of another kind in regard to display. 



8 See also, on this subject, Mr. Weir's paper in ' Transact. Ent. Soc' 

 1869, p. 23. 



9 « Westminster Review,' July, 1867, p. 16. 



10 For instance, Lithosia ; but Prof. Westwood (' Modern Class, of 

 Insects,' vol. ii. p. 390) seems surprised at this case. On the relative 

 "■olors of diurnal and nocturnal Lcpidoptera, see ibid. pp. 833, 392 ; also 

 Harris, ' Treatise on the Insects of New England,' 1842, p. 315. 



