38 LIFE AND SPORT IN HAMPSHIRE 



What a contrast between these butterflies and 

 syrphus, the hovering fly of summer ! In the hot 

 sun, among the bushes, syrphus hovers and darts 

 for hours. It gives one the idea of a fierce, waspish, 

 little thing, living its life at white heat. This is 

 because of its tremendous activity, and the earnest- 

 ness it seems to put into each movement. The 

 hovering habit syrphus shares with many creatures, 

 but its darting, jerking movements are more peculiar. 

 After spinning for some seconds, perhaps a quarter 

 of a minute, at one spot, syrphus will flash away two 

 or three yards, to take up a fresh position. It rarely 

 goes straight to the new spot, but takes a zigzag 

 course, not unlike the lines on a weather chart. 

 When first I noticed this darting of syrphus I 

 thought it must invariably be done in the pursuit 

 and capture of prey, or that the object was to assault 

 and drive away a rival ; but, though these fast and 

 furious movements seem to disturb, if not dismay, 

 other insects occupying the same yard or two of 

 space, I doubt now whether syrphus is always hunting 

 for prey or love. Syrphus settles on a leaf from time 

 to time, but it can keep up the exercise for an 

 astonishingly long time. This is a strenuous life 

 indeed. 



One little feature of syrphus movement I have 

 noticed the ease and frequency with which, whilst 

 hanging in the air, the fly can turn half or quite 

 round. One moment I and syrphus face each other, 



