GHOST MOTH EVENINGS 85 



moth came up ; there was an in- lime tree, and round this a dozen males 



terval of a minute or so, and then, were playing one evening. Instead 



all at once, the corner of the field was of swinging from side to side, as one 



full of ghost moths, satin-white male might expect, they here rose up and 



and brown female. I could count down, and whisked in and out among 



nearly a score on a small patch of the leaves ; now a moth would be 



ground a dozen square yards in extent, near the top of the tree, and now he 



and could hear others impatiently would be down within two yards or 



whirring deep down in the tangled so of the ground ; this was more like 



grasses as they tried to rise on the wing, the rise and drop of the winter gnats 



One evening the dance had ended in column than the meadow swing- 



at half-past nine. Every moth had ing of the ghost moth, 



dropped into the grass depths and But the oddest feature in this tree 



run a little way up a stem, and there variation was the attention two male 



it would be hanging till after nine moths would pay each other. Whether 



o'clock next evening unless by any it were rivalry, or whether insect sport 



chance the ghost moths dance again and game, I could not say. Two moths 



in the dusk of the morning a twenty- would pursue each other apparently 



four hour rest. My impression is now one, now the other, being pursuer 



though I am not sure that the ghost up and down, and even in and out 



moths' dance only takes place once among the outer leaves of the tree, 



in each twenty-four hours, and lasts They would lose each other in these 



each time less than an hour. chases, but find each other actually 



As they dance over the meadow distinguish each other among several 

 grasses, there seems little or no rivalry ghost moths and give chase again in a 

 among the male moths ; at most, few moments. Constantly they would 

 they will now and again brush each collide, brush against or tap one an- 

 other lightly ; it is here as if each other, and at each tap the lovely gloss of 

 were far too engrossed in his own the wings, perhaps the fine brown fur of 

 movements to trouble about neigh- the tippet, too, must have lost a little, 

 bours or rivals. But of late I have As to the female ghost moths, I did 

 noticed a curious variant of the usual not see them engaging in this dainty 

 ghost moth dance over the grass heads, play, though several were hovering 

 At the corner of the field is a small over the grasses. The female's move- 



