OBSERVATIONS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF BUTTERFLIES 257 



of one of its kind. This was true of all the species observed. 

 I have often noted the fact that any passing object in flight 

 over one of these "watching" specimens, such as a bird, or a 

 bumble bee, would have the effect of stimulating the same sort 

 of chase as would be the case with a similar passage of one of 

 its own species. I have seen a Vanessa chase a Papilio, or a 

 Pieris, or, indeed, almost any similar object. 



That there is a sex factor involved in this peculiar behavior 

 I think altogether probable. But that the color pattern, or 

 the wing pose of the specimen has any such function seems 

 extremely improbable. A further fact which tends to support 

 this view is that the behavior in question does not seem to be 

 limited at all to the breeding season. It is quite as marked in 

 July as in April or May. Indeed, so far as my observations go, 

 there is nothing to show that this behavior differs materially 

 at any time during the active life of the butterfly. 



Still a further point may be noted as bearing on the ques- 

 tion, namely, it does not seem to me that the color pat- 

 tern of the wings of Vanessa serve to make it a specially con- 

 spicuous object when in this orienting pose. If a perfectly 

 bare, white or grayish position were always sought this might 

 be the case to some extent, but the habit of Vanessa rather 

 dominantly in or about wood lots, where many and varied 

 lights and shadows mingle, would tend to render these markings 

 rather protective than otherwise. I have personally demon- 

 strated this on many occasions when following up a specimen 

 for closer study. Even when marking down a specimen as it 

 came to rest and hastening forward with the eye upon the spot, 

 it often was impossible to see the thing until it took flight, so 

 intimately had its markings been blended with its surroundings. 



These facts and the further fact that the behavior is not 

 peculiar to Vanessa, but is shared by a considerable number 

 of species, some of which are very brilliantly colored, afford 

 a strong evidence in disproof of the view proposed by Parker 

 touching its function as a sex factor. 



