( xxix ) 



" Only one specimen of P. meone was ever seen to settle 

 facing the sun ; it did so three times, a fourth time turning its 

 tail in the usual way. This was at Biskra on March 5th, and 

 I noted at the time that the sun was not shining strongly. 

 Two only were observed to settle with the axis of the body at 

 right angles to the sun. One of these appeared to be crippled 

 in the legs, since it alone always sat on one side. A third 

 specimen, feeding on laurustinus flower in the Chabet Gorge 

 on March 18th, did not appear to orient itself by the sun. 



"In conclusion, except early in the day, or when the sun is 

 dull, or when feeding on flowers, P. meone settles with the axis 

 of the body turned so that its tail points more or less accurately 

 to the sun, therefore when the wings are raised, in the attitude 

 of repose (as is more common towards the afternoon), the 

 shadow is reduced to insignificant dimensions. 



" Pyrameis cardui, L., is an abundant butterfly in Algeria. 

 It is not so easy to watch as P. meone, for it is a strong flier 

 and much more wary ; moreover, many of the specimens were 

 seen in exposed places during windy weather. Nevertheless, 

 I can say confidently that it generally settles with its tail to 

 the sun, though it does not do this with the regularity of 

 meone. I saw r two specimens turn their faces to the sun, and 

 saw a third settle twice with its body axis at right angles, 

 though the third time it settled normally. The first two 

 freshly emerged specimens, at Hammam R'ihra, March 25th, 

 did not orient as well as those that had hybernated. 



" Tbese observations confirm those of Professor G. H. Parker 

 on Vanessa antiopa, L., and on a Grapta in the United States,* 

 and supply a reason for the habit that does not appear to have 

 occurred to him, namely, concealment when in repose." 



A discussion followed in which Dr. W. J. Holland said 

 that he had not noticed this tendency to orientation. In the 

 case of Colias philodice and other Pieridx, he had observed 

 that they assumed all manner of positions, so that it was not 

 safe to extend the observation presented by Professor Poulton 

 to such species. The President asked for information on the 

 resting habit of Selenia bilunaria, and remarked that it differed 

 in his observations from that of *S'. tetralunaria and the other 

 * Referred to Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1905, p. 136. 



