COLOURS PKODUCED BY COURTSHIP 291 



of wild forms. This is even the case with the few 

 races which have, perhaps, been raised by domestica- 

 tion to a higher intellectual level ; for the mental 

 development which has been induced by artificial 

 selection has reference to the requirements or fancies 

 of man, rather than to the necessities of the species. 



The ' Assembling ' of male Moths 



In many species of moths the males ' assemble ' 

 round the freshly emerged female, but no special 

 advantage appears to attend an early arrival. The 

 female sits apparently motionless while the little 

 crowd of suitors buzz around her for several minutes. 

 Suddenly, and, as far as one can see, without any sign 

 from the female, one of the males pairs with her and 

 all the others immediately disappear. 



In these cases the males do not fight or struggle 

 in any way, and as one watches the ceremony the 

 wonder arises as to how the moment is determined, 

 and why the pairing did not take place before. All 

 the males are evidently most eager to pair, and yet 

 when pairing takes place no opposition is offered by 

 the other males to the successful suitor. Proximity 

 does not decide the point, for long beforehand the 

 males often alight close to the female and brush 

 against her with fluttering wings. 



In watching this wonderful and complicated court- 

 ship, one is driven to the conclusion that the female 



