Dec., '05] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 329 



A few days ago, while walking along a road, I came to a 

 plant of evening primrose growing close to the roadside. The 

 top was crowned with a number of its beautiful delicate flow- 

 ers, one of which I noticed was of unusual appearance ; on 

 examining more closely I found Rhodoplwm //otirfa, somewhat 

 smaller than the flower, which had crawled into the partially 

 closed corolla for protection and rest during the day. The 

 litnbal area of the fore wings was of a delicate yellow similar 

 in every way to the petals of the blossom ; this portion was the 

 most conspicuous as the posterior end of the body protruded. 

 The discal area and base were of a delicate pink, thus giving a 

 similar effect of a partially wilted blossom. Driving or walk- 

 ing along the road, although not more than ten feet distant, I 

 doubt whether any one would have seen the moth or even 

 noticed the unusual appearance of the flower. Thus again I 

 think that mimicry and coloration are only meant to protect 

 the wearer from distant enemies. 



Then the small spiders of varying colors to suit their habitat 

 and Phymata icolfii . which secrete themselves in the crowns of 

 the thistle, carrot, and milkweed, are totally invisible from a 

 short distance, but as you get closer the individual soon takes 

 definite shape in spite of its care in concealment, and its strik- 

 ing resemblance to the surroundings. One of these spiders 

 recently attracted my attention ; in color the abdomen was 

 white, while the thorax was of a delicate green. As the latter 

 was uppermost and protruded through the pedicels of the 

 carrot, no doubt in this way it broke the solid white of the 

 abdomen behind thus looking more like the object on which 

 the spider rested. When seen it had come forth and tightly 

 held a honey bee in its mandibles. Even after getting very 

 close I could not see the creature, but the bee looked unnat- 

 ural. Surely the object of all this great care, is to allow the 

 prey to come within striking distance, when it becomes a ques- 

 tion of which is the more agile, stronger or more alert. 



The Catocala moths, resting during the day on the trunks of 

 our forest trees, are invisible from any distance, but approach 

 more closely and you will soon be able to discern their shape. 

 They keep the hind wings covered, for if they did not, they 

 would be like fire at night, for the contrast is as great. They 



