(20) 
touched by the birds, and that they were undoubtedly Bombyx 
rubt. He remarked upon the interesting fact that the beetle 
Lochmxa suturalis, so plentifully devoured by the blackgame, 
belonged to the Galerucidx, a family generally believed to be 
distasteful, and certainly providing many models for mimicry. 
These particular Galerucids, however (examples of which were 
exhibited), were rather inconspicuous dark brown insects. 
Rest ArtirupE or Hyrta AurorAriaA.—Mr. J. C. Mourton 
read the following note :—“ During the past summer I had the 
Ixxxvi] 
opportunity of studying the habits of this species in the field 
near Glastonbury, Somersetshire. I first met with it on July 
2nd, and after a rainy interval saw it again on July 10th, 
11th, and 12th. The moth frequented a small patch of ground 
about 80 yards square, covered with heath and ling, inter- 
mingled with bog-myrtle, alder bushes, and birch trees. The 
insect was on the wing in bright sunlight from 10.30 a.m. to 
1.30 p.m. The rest attitude was first observed on July 10th ; 
when following a moth that was flying about four or five feet 
from the ground, I saw it settle upon the ling a little ahead of 
me when it became invisible. However, on closer inspection T 
found it had alighted on a thin stem of ling, with the under- 
side of its outspread wings uppermost. When disturbed it 
again took a short flight of a few yards, and settled in exactly 
the same manner. This happened during four successive 
flights of this one insect; and for the rest of that morning 
and the following days I was interested to notice that all the 
others, which I saw settle, invariably did so in this attitude. 
The interpretation is not far to seek when a comparison is 
made between the colouring of the upper- and under-sides. In 
the former the bright purple and rich golden markings at once 
attract the eye and render this little Geometer a conspicuous 
object. The under-surface, on the other hand, possesses a 
perfect cryptic colouring of dark dull purple, combined with 
shades of tawny yellow. It should be noted that on no occasion 
was the flower itself selected as a resting-place, but always the 
leaf or stem, the dull colour of which, combined with the dark 
shadows in the interior of the plant, formed a background 
harmonising in a remarkable manner with the exposed surface 
