^14 



THE NATURE BOOK 



Poj)lar Hawk-Moth (Snwnn/Jiiis popiili) 

 resting on the bark of a poplar tree, as 

 it miejht be fonnd at any time towards 



FEMALE BLACK ARCHES MOTK. 



the end of i\Iay nntil earl\- Julw and 

 occasionally in tlie autumn, from a second 

 brood. 



The moth has beaiitifully marbled 

 wings of a soft buff-grey colour, and 

 the lower wings are similarly col- 

 oured but of a bright orange shade 

 of brown at the base. This coloured 

 part, however, is covered while the 

 moth is resting, as it appears in the 

 photogra})h on page 212, and the 

 peculiar manner in which the hind 

 pair of wings aj^pear first, give the 

 moth a curious resemblance to a fallen 

 leaf which is discoloured and shri- 

 velled and adhering to the bark. 

 Of course, it only needs a glance 

 to see that it is not a leaf, but the 

 whole arrangement is unobtrusive 

 to the eye, and the untrained ob- 

 server, even while searching for 

 insects, would probably, if his gaze 

 fell on such a moth, be deceived, 

 and would turn away towards what 

 seems like more profitable searching- 

 ground. Therein probably lies the moth's 

 main protection. If it attemi)ted to hide 

 in the fork of a branch or amongst the 



leaves, a large moth of that description 

 would soon be discovered by the diligent 

 insecti\-orous searchers that are per- 

 sistently at work amongst the branches ; 

 but this bold front, combined with the 

 sul)tk' colour and superficial resemblance 

 to a wintl-blown leaf adhering to the 

 bark, completely deceives the enemy. 

 If a hungry bird espies it, it does not stop 

 to investigate. Food requires searching 

 for. and it would be too absurd to sup- 

 pose that it would be exposed in that 

 prominent way ; so, like the untrained 

 obser\-er. the bird seeks more profitable 

 fields. Almost invariably these moths 

 will be found resting in such exposed 

 situations. Not infrequently they will 

 be seen on posts and palings, sometimes 

 on flat wooden fences ; which again 

 illustrates the fact that the moth is only 

 carrying out its hereditary instinct, for on 

 a flat fence it is a most conspicuous object. 

 \Miat I ha\'e written regarding the 

 Po]:)lar Hawk-Moth also applies to the 

 insect illustrated in the next illustration (p. 

 213), where the Privet Hawk-Moth [SpJiiiix 

 ligustri) is shown. In the photograph 

 the moth is seen while taking a temporary 

 rest, with its wings slightly expanded, and 

 in that position it reveals the rosy pink 

 bands that })artly encircle its body. U'hen 

 it completely closes its wings, however, 

 its body is co\'ered, the upper pair, which 



BUKF-JIP MOTH WITH WINGS FULLY EXTENDED. 



are brown and black-streaked, being out- 

 side, and so it rests on the bark of trees, 

 posts, etc. About the middle of July 

 the moth may frequently be found in 

 such situations. It follows, therefore, 



