PAPILIO. 



Prgan of tl^e [lew Jork Entomological piub. 



Vol. 1.] September, 1881. [No. 8. 



REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS WITH REFERENCE 

 TO "LEPIDOPTERA," OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL 

 SECTION OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR 

 ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



The Entomological Sub-section of the American Association 

 met at Cincinnati, on i8th, 19th and 20th of August, 1881. There 

 were present Rev'd Dr. Jno. G. Morris, Chairman ; B. P. Mann, 

 Secretary ; Prof. A. J. Cook. Prof. S. H. Peabody, Dr. H. S. 

 Jewett, Chas. Dury, C. G. Siewers, V. T. Chambers, W. H. 

 Edwards, Prof. J. A. Lintner, Prof. Cyrus Thomas, J. Duncan 

 Putnam, Prof. C. V. Riley and others. 



The first paper on Thursday, 18th, was read by Mr. Edwards, 

 giving an account of the peculiar habit of Heliconia CJiaritonia, 

 Linn, as observed and communicated by Dr. Wm. Wittfield, of 

 Indian River, Fla. In two instances a group of the butterflies of 

 this species, three or four in number, were found clinging by 

 their legs firmly to a chrysalis of the same species, and they 

 remained there, resisting attempts to frighten them away, for 

 two days or more, until the imago issued from the chrysalis, when 

 the butterflies departed. 



This relation elicited much interest and was discussed by 

 several of the members. Some thought the gathering of the 

 butterflies might be caused by sexual desire, the imago being 

 perhaps of the opposite sex from the butterflies. Others thought 

 that the butterflies, knowing well their own immunity from 

 attacks of birds or animals, by reason of obnoxious fluids or 

 smell, had come to discover that their presence protected from 

 attack the naked and defenceless chrysalis, at a time when pro- 

 tection was most needed, namely, just before the issuing of the 

 imago. 



