COLOURS PRODUCED BY COURTSHIP 299 



tion, gradually approaching nearer and nearer to the 

 female. Now she dashes towards him, while he, 

 raising his first pair of legs, extends them upward 

 and forward as if to hold her off, but withal slowly 

 retreats. Again and again he circles from side to 

 side, she gazing towards him in a softer mood, evi- 

 dently admiring the grace of his antics. This is re- 

 peated until we have counted 111 circles made by the 

 ardent little male. Now he approaches nearer and 

 nearer, and when almost within reach, whirls madly 

 around and around her, she joining and whirling with 

 him in a giddy maze. Again hie falls back and re- 

 sumes his semicircular motions, with his body tilted 

 over ; she, all excitement, lowers her head and raises 

 her body so that it is almost vertical; both draw 

 nearer ; she moves slowly under him, he crawling 

 over her head, and the mating is accomplished. 

 After they have paired once the preliminary court- 

 ship is not so long.' On one occasion a female was 

 the more eager of the two, but this is evidently 

 very exceptional. The female always watches the 

 antics of the male intently, but often refuses him 

 in the end, ' even after dancing before her for a long 

 time.' Such observations strongly point towards 

 the existence of female preference based on aesthetic 

 considerations. 



In Epiblemum scenicum ' the females seemed to have 

 some difficulty in choosing from among the males, but 

 after a decision had been reached, and a male accepted, 



