Mating Instinct in Moths. 185 



even then he will oftL-n Huttcr away without attempting to 

 mate with her. At other times, however, he will fly at once 

 to her and mate immediately. 



After issuing from the cocoon the female generally 

 remains qiiitscent for some hours, until she is fertilized, after 

 whieh she flies actively about and deposits her egi^s. 



During her period of rest the female remains with wings 

 closed over her back; but when a male moth, or indeed any 

 large object, comes near her within range of her vision she 

 slowly and majestically opens and closes her wings several 

 times. 



'ihe males when resting act in a similar manner, but are 

 by no means so sensitive as the females. 



In captivity the moths lived from three to five days. 



Observations and Experiments. 



The first experiments were directed to determine whether 

 the male was attracted by the sight of the female or whether 

 he merely perceived an odour emanating from her. 



Five lemales were placed in a clear glass battery-jar, 

 having a wide open mouth ; the mouth was covered with a 

 coarse-meshed mosquito-netting, to allow a free circulation of 

 air between the interior of the jar and the outside. 



Five males were liberated about 100 feet away from the 

 jar ; they immediately flew to it and fluttered about the 

 mouth. 



The jar was then inverted (placed mouth downward) and 

 sand packed around the open end, so as to prevent the air 

 escaping from the interior. 



Tlius the females remained visible through the glass, but 

 no scent could come from them. Under these circumstances 

 all the males flew away at once and some disappeared from 

 sight. 



When, however, the jar was turned open end up again all 

 the males reappeared, flying excitedly round the mouth. 



This experiment was often repeated, and always with the 

 same result. The males never pay the least attention to 

 females which are enclosed in a hermetically sealed preserving- 

 jar of clear glass. 



Assuming that the males are able to see through glass 

 which appears transparent to us, we may conclude that sight 

 alone is not sufficient to attract the male toward the female, 

 or even to retain him in her presence when he is within a 

 few inches of her. 



Another experiment, which seems to show that the male 



