BUTTERFLY SOUNDS 89 



BiofiT- Wither. This butterfly, which he and his 

 friends christened the '^ whip butterfly," is said 

 by him to settle upon the boles of trees, head 

 downward and wings outspread, closely embracing 

 the bark. " In this position, which is more com- 

 mon to moths than to butterflies, it remains unde- 

 tected by the casual observer, as it resembles 

 merely a patch of lichen. If approached, how- 

 ever, it wiU give warning of its disapprobation by 

 sharply shutting and opening its wings once or 

 twice (more generally twice) in quick succession, 

 producing by this sudden contact the whip-like 

 snap from which we gave it its name." One 

 notices exactly this movement in many of our 

 temperate Vanessini, when haK alarmed. " Fre- 

 quently, too, it makes the same sound when on 

 the wing. The surugiid [a bird with a sharp 

 beak and abnormally big mouth] is very partial 

 to this butterfly, and is at once attracted by the 

 whip-like crack, forsaking its branch on which 

 perhaps it has been perching for half an hour 

 without having given the smallest sign of life, 

 and darting after the ' whip-cracker ' with great 

 eag-erness." Mr. Walker states that when these 

 butterflies are approached after alighting they 

 start off at great speed, "making at the same 



