SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 101 



fast ; thinking some large spider, or other predaceous creature had hold 

 of it, I lit my lantern, and then saw it was sitting on the stem 

 vibrating its wings with such rapidity, that I could not possibly see what 

 the species was. I watched it closely, and presently a small moth, 

 unheeding the glare of my lantern, flew to it. I needed to be very 

 quick to secure it before they paired. The vibratory motions of the 

 wings ceased as soon as the other touched it, and I saw it was an extra 

 large female sylvinus. For nearly ten minutes she remained motionless, 

 then, after a preliminary flutter or two, the motions of the wings 

 recommenced, and presently another male flew up ; this time they 

 were too quick for me, and the pairing was accomplished." I have 

 quoted this after the observations on lupuHnus, though it was made first, 

 but it was less complete, and having only a dim light, I could not 

 notice minor matters so well as in the later observations made in bright 

 daylight. As far as it goes, it fully confirms the observations of last 

 year. In August, 1890, I noticed a number of males oi sylvinus flying 

 to a particular spot ; it was almost bare of herbage, and as each came 

 up, they seemed to push themselves down on the sand, then fluttered 

 about a little, and flew away. One or two flew a little distance, came 

 back, and went through the same motions again, pushing down on to 

 the sand, and fluttering about. I took quite a number, without stirring 

 from the spot, and might have taken many more. I imagine a female 

 had emerged there, perhaps the evening before, and that traces of the 

 scent still remained. I marked the exact spot, and went again the 

 following evening. One or two specimens came up, but they did not 

 appear to be so eager nor so certain as the previous night ; they hovered 

 about for a moment or two, but never went down to the turf, and it was 

 clear the scent was about exhausted, but that a trace of it still remained. 

 Hepialus velleda males fly with wonderful rapidity, so quickly indeed, 

 that they are most difiicult to take on the wing when hunting the 

 females. I have never seen them pair, nor observed the mode of 

 attraction ; but there is no reason to suppose it will be any different 

 from hipulinus or sylvinus^ and that the female when she emerges will 

 sit on a stem, and flutter her wings to assist in diffusing the odour. 



It would be foreign to my purpose to refer to the habits of any of 

 the exotic Hepialidcz, some of which are of great size ; but indeed, I 

 have no knowledge on the subject, nor do any records appear in any of 

 our English works to which I have access. Mr. McLachlan {E.M.M., 

 vol. xxiii.,p. 215) mentions Hepialus pyrenakus, of which he says : — " The 

 male is somewhat similar to that of lupulinus, but the female is nearly 

 apterous and utterly incapable of flight ; any collector, however, so 

 fortunate as to obtain a virgin $ , can secure as many males as he may 

 desire. They " assemble " just as in the case of certain Bombyces, etc." 

 It would be interesting to know the habits of the genus in other places, 

 and especially whether any of them hover like humuli and hectus. 



I have now accomplished my task, and have laid before you such 

 details of the habits and peculiarities of the British species, as I have 

 been able to find recorded, or have myself observed. I told you I had 

 no theory to advance, nor anything new to introduce. I can only hope 

 that some of you may not have read, may not have observed, or do not 

 remember some of the facts 1 have brought before you to-night. — J. E. 

 RoBSON. February, 1892. 



