7 



( 607 ) 



XXV. Bionomic Notes on Bidterflies. By G. B. Longstaff, 

 M.A., M.D., F.E.S. 



[Read October 7th, 1908.] 



PAGE. 



Introductory 607 



§ 1. Scents 608 



I 2. The coloured juice exuded by certain Lepidoptera 622 



§ 3. The tenacity op life of protected species . . 624 



§ 4. Butterflies bearing marks of the attacks op foes 627 

 § 5. Experimental evidence as to the palatability of 



Butterflies 629 



§ 6. Mimics in the field deceiving man .... 631 



§ 7. Notes on the Flight of sundry Butterflies . . 635 

 § 8. The selection by yellow Butterflies of yellow 



leaves as resting-places 640 



§ 9. Heliotropism 643 



§ 10. "List" and Shadow 647 



§ 11. The inverted attitude of Lyc^enids and some other 



Butterflies 655 



§ 12. The rest- attitudes of certain Neotropical and 



Oriental Hesperids 660 



§ 13. Seasonal Dimorphism i-^ Neotropical But'I'ERFLIes . 662 



Introductory. 



When travelling in a country new to him it is almost 

 inevitable that an entomologist's time should be chiefly 

 taken up with searching for insects and securing speci- 

 mens — his temptation is to become "a mere collector." 

 Further, such observations of more scientific value as he 

 finds time to make are but too apt to be isolated, imper- 

 fect and inconclusive. Yet something may be done even 

 during a flying visit, and a judicious arrangement of the 

 notes made may provide useful material for further work 

 by the same naturalist, or by a more capable or more 

 fortunately circumstanced observer, following his footsteps. . 

 But it may be objected to such a paper as this, that it 

 is made up of trivial details, that it is loaded with weari- 

 some repetitions, that everybody has long been familiar 

 with the facts brought forward — in short, that it is but 

 a laborious " demonstration of the obvious." * So be it. 

 For the sake of argument these propositions might all be 

 admitted, and yet the time spent in writing the paper, and 



* W. Batesnn, F.R.S., Report of British Association, 1904, p. 577. 

 TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1908. — PART IV. (JAN. 1909) 



