HABITS OF THE I.MAGINKS OF NEMEOPIIILA PLANTAGINIS. 261 



With reference to Dr. Sharp's record of the capture of Tetropium 

 fiisciiw in the New Forest {Knt. Mo. Ma;/., xxxix., 198) on June 26th 

 last, it may be mentioned here that we took several larva; on May 29th 

 in company with those of ' '. polonicuH, which agree with the descrip- 

 tion of the larva of T, fnarum. At the time of capture I considered 

 the larvm small specimens of C. polonifm, and they were given little 

 attention, with the result that on arrival home they were almost dead. 

 I have looked after them very carefully since, and some of them seem 

 to be getting over the rough treatment they received, and I hope to 

 rear, at any rate, some of them. 



Habits of the imagines of Nemeophila plantaginis. 



By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 

 One of the best known of our alpine moths is Xeineoph'daplantwilrm. 

 On some of the high flower- covered alps it occurs in boundless 

 profusion and in marvellous variety. The variation from the blackest 

 to the whitest examples is most extreme, and some years ago I dealt 

 with this phase of the subject {antea, vol. ix., pp. 187 et seq.) Above 

 Arolla, at an elevation of from 7000ft. to 7500ft., I found the species 

 between August 1st and 13th, 1903, in the greatest profusion on the alps 

 above the higher chalets towards the Pas du Chevres, which at this 

 time were huge beds of blue, and yellow, and white, due to the 

 magnificent masses of bloom of forget-me-nots, gentians, hieracii, 

 saxifrages, etc., with which the upland alps were covered. In working 

 up to these slopes during the morning an occasional $ was disturbed, 

 which generally flew up wildly, whilst more frequently a $ was found 

 on the move, apparently without being disturbed, and was usually 

 easily boxed for eggs. The result of several $ s thus promiscuously 

 taken has been a very fair supply of eggs, which ought to produce a 

 good number of aberrations another year. About 2 p.m. the $ s 

 began to move freely on their own account, but it was not until 3 p.m. 

 that they were fairly on the wing, zigzagging up and down the steep 

 slopes with amazing rapidity, hesitating here and there, finding their 

 way down into the herbage, where a ? appeared to be hidden, although 

 one was rarely discovered by my searching. On one occasion 13 J s came 

 to a certain spot in a few minutes, most of which were captured, and it 

 seemed certain that a ? must be hidden there. Careful search at last re- 

 vealed the dried body of a dead ? that had been largely eaten by ants 

 hidden low down in the grass. I quite fail to see how the $ s could have 

 been attracted to her either by sight or scent. The greater number of 

 specimens were taken as they flew rapidly up and down the slopes, but I 

 missed three or four for each one that I took. The white aberrations 

 were particularly difficult to net, especially if the sun were at all in one's 

 eyes, and it was concluded that the very dark 3 s — by far the rarest 

 form — flew more slowly and heavily than the yellow or white 

 examples, and this seemed to be really the case, and not due to the 

 colour being more readily followed. Whilst the sun shone the males 

 continued on the wing until quite late in the evening, but when the 

 sun was hidden by clouds they usually became quiescent, and scarcely 

 a specimen could be seen. Pairing appeared to take place about 

 4 p.m. ; at least one $ that had evidently just paired was taken at 

 that time, five other $ s being captured as they flew up to her after 

 she was paired, j^o doubt a fair number might have been thus 



