112 Dr. G. B. Longstaff on 



which it mimics so closely was by this fluttering. Many 

 moths, notably Plusia, are intermediate between Sphinx 

 and Papilio in this respect. The vast majority of butter- 

 flies feed with their wings still, in some cases more or less 

 widely spread out, in others closed over the back. The 

 Skippers of such genera as Syridhiis, Pamphila and 

 Gcgencs settle with the hind-wings horizontal, the fore- 

 wings nearly vertical, but other Skippers, such as Baoris 

 and Eretis, settle with the wings fully spread out. 



Again, butterflies often rest from flight on the ground, 

 on the upper-side of leaves, or on tree-trunks. A few 

 Skippers, such as Cchcnorrhinus, Gaprona and Pterygo- 

 spidca {Tagiadcs), settle on the under side of leaves, with 

 tlieir wings spread like Geometers. 



Such a state of rest is more reposeful than that first 

 described, but in many species it is varied by occasional 

 closing and re-opening of the wings ; or in some Lycsenids 

 by curious horizontal movements of the hind-wings only. 



A third stage is when they rest for a long time in one 

 position, then the wings are usually raised over the back 

 (even in the case of Hcspcria, etc.) and often the fore-wings 

 are withdrawn within the hind-wings. In some species, 

 notably PJachlue and SyncJdo'e, when the creature is at rest 

 the hind-wings do not approach the stem on which it sits, 

 but the abdomen is elevated some 30"-40° and quite con- 

 cealed between the hind- wings. This attitude greatly 

 increases the similarity of the insect to a leaf. [Exhibited.] 



The actual habits of butterflies when asleep are but 

 little known, the great majority almost certainly close 

 their wings over their backs, but some of the larger 

 Skippers, such as Caprona, etc., probably sleep wdth them 

 spread out like Geometers. Certainly our conniion 

 Skippers, Painphila sylvanus, Esp., and P. linca, adopt the 

 usual butterfly attitude, but many years ago Mr. Roland 

 Trimen called attention to the fact tliat Nisoniades tages, L., 

 sleeps with the wings inclined so as to form a roof, like 

 many Nodu/e* I noted in South Africa that in some 

 Skippers the posterior third of the hind-wing is curiously 

 plaited when at rest, thus again resembling Nod/ne'e and other 

 moths. This may be well seen in the big Rhopalocampta 

 Jicithloa, Waliengr., and Ptcrygospidca ficsus, Fab., as well 

 as in the little Gcgenes zetterstcdti, Waliengr. (= hottentota, 

 Latr.). 



* Barrett's Lepidoptera of the British Islands, vol. i, p. 309. 



