some Rest-attitudes of Butterflies. 105 
and settled on a reddish sandy path. Cloud came 
over the sun, and the butterfly closed up its wings, 
so that only the hind-wing and tip of the fore- 
wing were visible. 
In explanation of this note Dr. Dixey emphasizes the 
fact that in the dry-season form of wne (= speciosus, 
Wallengr.) the under-side of the hind-wing and the tip 
of the fore-wing are reddish, hence the tightly-closed 
attitude is cryptic on red soil. He adds that doubtless 
when the butterfly contemplates a long stay (as at night, 
or when the sun goes behind cloud) the closed-up attitude 
is adopted to take advantage of its cryptic colouring, and 
not to minimize its shadow. 
The other observations were made on Belenois severina, 
Cram., a white butterfly that we found very abundant at 
Durban. 
Dr. Dixey says :— 
B, severina, § and §; when clouds come over the sun, 
this species generally settles on a grass stem, and, 
closing its wings tightly, becomes part of the picture. 
It certainly generally turns its back to the sun 
when it settles in sunshine, and then does not 
often close up its wings. 
My note is as follows :— 
B. severina, 2 2. seen to settle across the sun, early in 
the day. Late in the afternoon many ¢ severina 
seen settled with wings three-quarters open, and 
tail more or less to the sun; but where much ex- 
posed to wind the wings were closed and the head 
turned to the wind, so as to be almost across the 
sun. 
It is worthy of remark that throughout all these 
observations of heliotropism, I cannot recall a single 
case in which an adjustment, or subsequent movement 
of the butterfly after pitching, tended to throw it out 
of orientation. Hence it is fair to assume that if the 
insects had been watched longer after pitching positive 
results would have been observed in a larger proportion 
of cases. 
But, be that as it may, beyond doubt it is a habit with 
a number of butterflies, especially Nymphalids, to settle 
with their backs to the sun. Whether they do this, as 
Professor Parker supposes, to display their charms to the 
greatest advantage, or whether the first impulse was 
