140 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, 



performed right before my eyes. A moth landed within two feet 

 from me upon a tree, run rapidly a few inches, and — disappeared. 

 But as my eyes were upon the exact spot hiding was no longer 

 of any avail, and the insect appeared as in the illustration given 

 below, which is taken from a photograph. The moth after reach- 

 ing the tree, would run to some projecting piece of bark that had 

 a certain grayish color so common upon old elm -trees, then make 

 a quarter turn, and folding its wings in a peculiar way upon the 

 spot selected blended so well with it as to become invisible. 



This is not so well 

 shown in the illustra- 

 tion, as the dead insect, 

 though fixed in the 

 exact position, in dry- 

 ing projected farther 

 away from the bark 

 than when alive. If 

 this geometer would 

 rest in the normal posi- 

 tion of such moths the 

 color of the upper sur- 

 face of all wings would be in contrast with the surface upon which 

 it would be resting. Only the color and markings of the under- 

 side of the lower wing, and a narrow margin of the upper edge 

 of underside of upper wing, harmonize with the grayish spot 

 mentioned before. These portions, therefore, must be dis- 

 played, and all others must be hidden. The insect, by making 

 a quarter turn, and by pushing the upper wings deeply between 

 the lower ones effectually hides all colors not in harmony with 

 the spot selected. This is peculiar enough, but as the colors 

 upon the parts exposed vary to some extent, from very pale to 

 dark, the insect in choosing a spot must select it accordingly. 

 Of the hundreds of moths observed that morning, or until the 

 policeman returned, none could be detected upon the trees if the 

 spot upon which they settled was not carefully kept in sight. 

 According to " Packard's Geometridae " this interesting moth is 

 Marmopteryx gibbicostata Walk. 



Mrs. Slosson has returned to New York, and will doubtless soon see 

 the Northern Hills at Franconia, N. H. 



