356 Transactions. — Zoology. 



perfectly sure it was a leaf, but was impelled for some reason 

 to stoop down and look at it. On close examination I found 

 it was a specimen of DrejMuodes murlferata, a somewhat rare 

 moth. The insect was resting with outspread wings, slightly 

 turned upwards, and appeared exactly like a crumpled leaf on 

 the ground. All the varieties of this species resemble dead 

 leaves in their varied tints ; but the insect's habit of falling 

 like a leaf when disturbed is, of course, an instinctive action. 

 I think in this case we have an example of structure and 

 instinct developed simultaneously. It is evident that the 

 instinct is just as independent of the will of the animal as its 

 protective colouring, both having been essential to the species 

 in avoiding destruction by insectivorous birds. It is also in- 

 teresting to reflect on the immense number of abortive varia- 

 tions which must have occurred before the moth acquired its 

 present habits and colouring. 



The following notes on Osmia hicolor, Schk., are con- 

 tributed by Mr. V. E. Perkins, F.E.S. {Entomologist's Monthly 

 Magazine, July, 1891) : — 



" In vol. xxi., pp. 38 and 67, of this magazine I drew 

 attention to what I considered was a very curious habit 

 of Osmia hicolor, Schk., a habit, I believe, quite peculiar to 

 this one bee — that of picking up dry bents of grass or stick 

 and flying away with them in its mandibles. It is only 

 the female that does this, and I concluded at the time I 

 first noticed it that it must have something to do with nidifi- 

 cation, but in what way I was at a loss to know. This bee is 

 known to make use of the old shells of Helix ncmoralis for its 

 nidus. These it fills with its cells, and I have seen the bee 

 right inside the whorl of this shell busily at work, and so cap- 

 tured it ; but I have never seen any symptom of stick or bent 

 connected wuth it ; so it was a puzzle what the bees did with 

 them. This present season, notwithstanding the very severe 

 winter and continued cold spring, these bees were out and 

 about quite as early and as numerously as usual, and by the 

 middle of April they had become plentiful. I was too much 

 engaged with other matters at that time to go and look after 

 them, and it was on the 6th of this present month that I was 

 able to get away to one of the spots where these bees can be 

 watched attentively, and where I was not likely to be dis- 

 turbed. I found the females in abundance, and they were at 

 their old game ; so now was my opportunity. I saw them 

 alight on the ground, search about and select a bent, and then 

 fly off with it. I was determmed to solve the mystery if pos- 

 sible, so I crept about on my hands and knees, watching in- 

 tently the bees flitting along the dry sunny bank, working in 

 and out among the short herbage, and soon I saw one start 

 up under my very nose, and I saw also a little pile of bents 



