BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 329 



species, like all other brightly coloured larvae, are avoided by them. If a 

 bird happens to peck at one of them, it at once displays its aversion 

 by shaking its head and cleaning its bill. Hence, as in the case of the 

 spotted salamander (which see), the conspicuous colouring serves as a 

 means by which a totally defenceless animal proclaims, as it were, its 

 unfitness for consumption (warning colour). The pupa buries itself in 

 the earth after surrounding itself with a loose web. 



With approaching dusk the moth is roused to activity. Its strong 

 muscular body and the long, narrow fore-wings, which are firmly united 

 with the smaller hind- wings by a bristle (compare with honey-bee), 

 render this insect an uncommonly rapid flyer. (Compare with swallow 

 and other swiftly flying birds.) Swift as an arrow the moth cleaves the 

 air ; with tremulous wings, like a humming-bird, it soars over the flowers 

 which, by their bright colours and powerful perfume, invite it as a 

 welcome guest to a rich, honey-laden banquet. Its long proboscis enables 

 the insect to suck up ne'ctar out of very deep flower-tubes. Its large 

 eyes shine in the dark like those of a cat. During the daytime the 

 moth lies hidden from sight on the ground among dry fallen leaves, 

 etc. While at rest the wings are disposed quite differently to those of 

 the diurnal Lepidoptera (see p. 326), the hind-wings being covered by 

 the larger fore-wings, which slope away from the body like a roof. From 

 the way in which the wings are disposed we are also able to understand 

 the coloration of the insect. The upper surface of the fore-wings and 

 body, which alone is visible during rest, is of such a colour (body olive 

 green, wings of same colour with yellow or reddish -brown blotches) that 

 the moth is not differentiated from its surroundings, and hence only 

 discoverable with great difficulty. The hind-wings, on the other hand, 

 are not visible during rest, and hence their conspicuous colouring (black, 

 pink, brownish-yellow and white) in no way affects the safety of the 

 insect. The same applies to the sides of the body (striped black and 

 white) which, during rest, are rendered invisible by the wings covering 

 them. The under sides of the body and wings, which never become 

 visible, possess neither protective nor ornamental colouring, but are of 

 an indifferent, dirty pink colour. (Compare with the plaice.) 



Related Species. 



The same distribution of colour is met with in all the related species, 

 e.g., the Death's- Head Moth (Acherontia atropos). As long as this 

 insect is at rest it is quite inconspicuous (fore-wings blackish-brown, 

 clouded with lighter colour; on the thorax, which is likewise dark- 

 coloured, a peculiar marking resembling a human skull hence the name). 



