26 LEPIDOPTERA. 



scarlet striped jacket on one of the lads and apparently touch 

 the bright colour with its tongue, as though desirous of 

 ascertaining what new kind of brilliant flower had entered 

 the garden. While flying in this manner the humming 

 sound produced by the rapid motion of the wings is distinctly 

 audible, indeed it is so loud that persons of quick hearing 

 know that a specimen has entered the garden even before 

 they see it. Although its favourite time of flight is the twi- 

 light, it by no means restricts itself to that period. Specimens 

 may be seen, when the insect is common, at intervals for hours, 

 and certainly up to midnight ; at such a time a lantern is 

 necessary, and it evidently excites their curiosity greatly. 

 Altogether I look upon this species as the highest, in the 

 scale of intelligence, of the Lepidoptera of these islands. 



It frequents tubular flowers for the sake of their honey, 

 which it readily extracts, by means of its long tongue, while 

 hovering in front of them. Not, apparently, the blossoms of 

 Convolvulus, but Petunia, Verlena, Marvel of Peru, Scarlet 

 Geranium, PaiMcmon, even the long tubed Datura ; but far 

 beyond all others it prefers the richly scented, evening 

 flowering Nicotiana affinis (white tobacco). 



In the daytime it loves to sit on posts or among garden 

 plants close to the ground with Avings pressed down to the 

 sides forming a steep roof, when it looks like a bit of wood ; 

 and has also a curious trick of reposing itself upon linen hung 

 out all night to dry, to the no small disturbance, and even 

 alarm, of the women when taking it in next day. The male 

 has been noticed by several observers to exhale a scent of 

 musk when disturbed. 



Usually scarce in this country, and, unless in a favoured 

 southern locality, many years may pass without seeing it, but 

 occasionally it is abundant, and then it occurs in all parts of 

 the United Kingdom, even to Orkney and Shetland. Such 

 apparently was the case in 18 IG, and to some extent in 1858-i), 

 1868, 1875, 1885, and especially in 1887. Yet in none of 



