INGENIOUS DEVICE OF A BIRD. 167 



them is hence called Gamma, the other Iota. WTiat 

 other creatures could so appropriately claim such 

 classic titles .'' I do not propose giving you a list of 

 our moths, as I did of our butterflies and sphinxes. 

 Tlieir number precludes such an attempt. I know 

 fully two hundred species taken in the neighbour- 

 hood of Belfast, and this is but a small portion of 

 those which are probably to be found. Among them 

 exists, as might be expected, considerable diversity 

 vnth respect to their habitats : a very numerous tribe 

 is found among our pasture fields, and its members 

 are only driven from their lurking places by the pas- 

 sage of some object through the grass. This year, 

 I noticed a very common httle bird, one of the wag- 

 tails {Motacilla alba), adopt an ingenious plan for 

 their capture. A cow was grazing, and of course 

 passing slowly along, with her head close to the 

 ground : the little bird placed itself so as to be almost 

 in contact with her mouth, and hopped along as she 

 advanced, seizing the moths which rose out of the 

 grass at her approach. The cow paid no attention 

 to the bird, and the bird seemed perfectly fearless 

 with respect to the cow. Was there not reason as 

 well as instinct in this procedure ? 



It is an unaccountable fact, that the night-flying 

 insects, which shun the glare of the sunshine, and 

 delight in darkness, should yet be so strongly 



