212 the entomologist. 



On the "Calling" Attitude of Hepialus sylvinus ?. — 

 When watching this species on the wing on the evening of August 

 7th I saw a female H. sylvinus sitting on, or rather hanging from a 

 grass-stem with her wings going, as is the habit with this species, 

 evidently "calling." Something peculiar in the attitude of the 

 insect attracted my attention, and on kneeling down to observe her 

 more closely I saw that only the upper pair of wings were extended 

 and in vigorous motion, the lower wings being at rest and closed 

 along the body. The latter was hanging almost vertically from the 

 grass-stem, to which she appeared to be clinging by the two anterior 

 pairs of legs only. I watched her at close quarters for about five 

 minutes, without any change in her position or cessation of motion 

 of her fore wings, but no male put in an appearance. By this time, 

 the short flight-period being over, she apparently gave up hope of 

 obtaining a mate and came to rest. On several successive evenings 

 I endeavoured to confirm and amplify these observations, and was 

 able to ascertain that the female flies to the grass-stem on which she 

 takes her stand, and does not merely climb up when freshly emerged 

 from the pupa. On the arrival of the male, which often occurs 

 almost as soon as she starts calling, she at once closes her wings. 

 For a few moments he keeps his in motion, but when union is 

 effected he closes them and hangs straight downwards, often without 

 further support than the grasp of his claspers, though if another 

 grass-stem lies suitably he will cling to it with his fore-legs. Pairs 

 boxed and taken home i7i coj). would remain so for about one and 

 a half or two hours. The lack of a frenulum connecting the lower 

 with the upper pair of wings is, of course, one of the characteristic 

 features of the family Hepialidae, but I am not aware whether the 

 action of one pair of wings independently of the other has been 

 previously noticed, and if so whether it has been observed in other 

 species. It is, perhaps, most likely to be found in H. bqndinus, 

 which is stated to behave very similarly to H. sylvinus when calling, 

 the habits of the other British species being very different in this 

 respect.— W. G. Blair; 23, West Hill, Highgate, N., August 17th, 

 1918. 



Papilio bianor. Cram., in Hampshire. — The other day I showed 

 Mr. W. M. Christy some wonderful butterflies I caught in my garden 

 in September, 1917. They are large black Swallow-tails four and a 

 half inches across, and were identified as Papilio bianor. They were 

 introduced and reared at Oxshott, I think, by Mr. Cecil Floerslieim 

 (' Entomologist,' vol. xlviii [1915] , p. 255). The first specimens 

 appeared here last year at the end of September. I caught three and 

 left three or four others. This year the first one appeared on May 

 30th, flying rather high and very strong over the top of high laurel 

 and rhododendrons. I have only seen one at a time this year, and 

 that one is still about, having been seen on the place three d-ays ago. 

 I think it probable they have bred here. Last year they were very 

 tame, flying low round the house, but this year's example seems 

 much stronger, and would be very difficult to catch. — F. J. Eoig ; 

 Hollybank, Emsworth, Hants, June 22nd, 1918. 



[A similar escape is recorded at Henley by Mr. Hugh Scott in 



