THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 95 



ON PLATYSAMIA COLUMBIA Smith. 



BY F. B. CAULFEILD, MONTREAL, P. Q. 

 (Concluded from April No.) 



Taking into consideration the great difference in the lives and habits 

 of the orders in question, I do not think the interbreeding of species of 

 the genus Tetreao is any strong proof of the correctness of Dr. Hagen's 

 conjecture. Robert Mudie, in his " Feathered Tribes of the British 

 Islands," speaking of Tetreao tetrix, says : u During the latter part of 

 autumn and winter the males live together in flocks and in a state of the 

 most perfect harmony ; but when the warmth of spring begins to be felt, 

 and their plumage, which had become rather dull during the winter, begins 

 to shine in all the beauty of its glosses, they separate from each other and 

 fight stoutly for their females. They are then on the alert by early dawn, 

 crowing and showing off the beauties of their plumage in a great variety 

 of attitudes and gestures. " 



This, I think, is a great contrast to the life of the moth. The Grouse 

 h gifted with the power of uttering cries or calls by which his presence is 

 made known, not only to his own species, but to every bird that is within 

 hearing. Of this the moth is entirely destitute ; further, when the call 

 of the male Grouse has attracted the female, he makes his desires known 

 to her by various gestures and attitudes, and any person who has given a 

 little attention to domestic fowls or to pigeons, must be aware that birds 

 can convey a great deal of meaning by gesture. This power, too, is 

 wanting in the moth. Now, supposing that the males of one species of 

 Tetreao were absent, and the males of another were calling, the females 

 of the first species would hear them and their natural instinct would, I 

 think, teach them to go to a cry that must at least bear a family 

 resemblance to that of their proper mates ; once in sight of the male 

 his animated gestures would convey his desires, and though they might 

 not actually keep in his pack, yet from their social habits they would keep 

 near them, and seeing the gestures of the male, would sometimes submit 

 to him in the absence of their legitimate partners. 



But with the moth it is very different ; in this case the attracting 

 power emanates from the female, and is silent and invisible. The moth 

 Utters no cry by which her presence would be made known to the males 



