3G8 Professor E. B. Poulton 07i 



from behind. On one occasion he alighted only an inch 

 behind the female. 



The only movements observed in the female after 

 alighting were of the head, but the male often fluttered 

 his wings. 



Pairing took place after the courtship had been watched 

 for six minutes, during which the insects flew and alighted 

 several times. The male seized the female in the air 

 after she had flown a short distance, and both fell to the 

 ground together from a height of about eight inches. 

 Copulation probably occurred the instant the insects 

 reached the ground, but the movements were too rapid to 

 be followed. In flight the female supported the male, 

 but the horizontal position of the latter was apparently 

 maintained by the use of his wings. When the female 

 alighted the male always hung in a vertical position. 

 Coitus was not terminated by capture, or even by 

 boxing. 



The courtship of another pair was watched on the same 

 morning and in the same locality. Cuitus was not seen, 

 the insects being lost after 12| minutes of observation. 

 In this case the female when settled moved her abdomen 

 up and down. Movements of the third pair of legs were 

 also seen, while those of the head were frequent and pro- 

 nounced. The male also sometimes faced the female, and 

 once or twice darted down u]3on her, certainly touching 

 some part of her dorsal surface.* After one of the flights, 

 when they had come to rest upon a couple of flower-heads 

 about two inches apart, the male more than once took a 

 turn in the air round the female, and then returned to his 

 flower-head. In spite of the differences here stated, the 

 relative positions of male and female were generally 

 similar to those of the last pair. In fact, the positions first 

 taken up after each flight of the female are probably 

 characteristic. 



Dasyj^ogon {Sdido]Jogon) diadcma, a mimic of its tnost 

 conspic'i lous victims. 



The dark-winged, dark-bodied Dasifpogon diadcma is 

 undoubtedly mimetic of the Hymenoptera Aculeata. 



* A male, watched on tlie previous day, July 23, also appeared to 

 darL at and touch the female. The observation was made in the same 

 locality, and the female was in this instance carrying a bee. 



