100 THE ENTOMOLOGISTS RECORD 



Scientific notes. 



The Genus Hepialus {concluded from p. 79). — The males of 

 the other three British species of this genus fly in a very different 

 manner to those already spoken of. Lupulitius is much the com- 

 monest species of the three, and the males may be seen hunting for 

 the females in early twilight with a most erratic flight just above the 

 herbage, darting hither and thither, turning and twisting about in all 

 directions and with great rapidity. Common as the species is, and 

 closely as I had watched it for some years, I never saw the act of pairing 

 till last summer. This was described in detail in the E.M.M., vol. 

 xxvii., p. 197, and I had better quote the account written at the time, 

 than re-describe from memory. "On the evening of June 3r(i (1891), 

 I saw a newly emerged female crawling up a grass stem. It was just then 

 eight o'clock ; and at the same moment a male approached with its 

 usual rapid, irregular flight. It flew within a foot of her, but did not 

 take the slightest notice, and was evidently unconscious of her 

 proximity. When she was half-way up the stem she commenced to 

 vibrate her wings ; first there was a preliminary flutter or two, and then 

 a steady, long-continued vibration, which lasted without intermission 

 for ten minutes. A male then approached. It flew in its usual quick 

 erratic manner until within about three feet of where she sat. The 

 rapid flight was instantly checked, and it commenced to fly backwards 

 and forwards, advancing very slowly as it did so, evidently searching 

 for her ; when within a foot I netted it, and in doing so slightly 

 disturbed her ; the vibrations of her wings ceased, and after a short 

 pause she commenced to crawl further up the stem. I feel sure it was 

 the net that disturbed her, and not any consciousness of the approach 

 of the male. As she climbed up, she gave a quick flutter or two, then 

 moved up a little, another flutter and a further progress upward, until 

 she seemed satisfied, settled herself comfortably on the stem, and began 

 again with the rapid vibrations of her wings. This was kept up for 

 rather over twenty minutes before another male appeared. It flew in 

 the same wa}', rapidly but erratically, until within three or four feet, 

 and then slowly backwards and forwards, advancing as it did so until 

 it found her. There cannot, I think, be the slightest doubt that the 

 female diffuses a faint attractive odour, and that the vibration of the 

 wings assists to diffuse it. This diffusion judging by the distance at 

 which the males changed their mode of flight, does not appear to be 

 effective more than three or four feet from where it emanates. The 

 night in question was absolutely calm, perhaps with a little wind it 

 might have influence to a greater distance." The males of Hepialus 

 sylvinus fly in a similar manner to those of lupulimis, and it would be 

 reasonable to assume from this that their mode of attraction is the same. 

 A solitary and far from complete observation which I recorded in 1887 

 {E.M.AL, vol. xxiii., p. 214) may be quoted here. "I had sugared 

 some parts on the railway side, and was wandering about in the 

 twilight, looking for nothing in particular, when my attention was 

 drawn to a large moth fluttering in a peculiar manner on a stem of grass : it 

 seemed as though it was trying to escape from something that held it 



