THE NUPTIAL FLIGHT. 
Experiments on Samia cecropia. 
Exp. 1. May 7. Two females emerged prematurely and for 
the past few days have been at the open window. This morning 
when I entered the laboratory I found that three young native 
ceropia males had come during the night and were quietly at 
rest on the window sash. Thus at the very beginning, the intru- 
sion of the wild stock with the bred material complicated the 
observations. 
Exp. 2. May 7. Wind, south-west; station, 225 yards east. 
Two of the native males that had appeared in Exp. 1 and a bred 
male 24 hours old, each with its distinguishing mark of paint, 
were liberated at 6:30 p. m., in the park, directly in front of 
the house; the caged females were on the window-sill. The air 
was humid from a shower that had just passed; the wind blew 
through the house, and there was a chance that it might dis- 
seminate to a point near to where these males were liberated. 
One hour and twenty minutes later, the bred male, one day old, 
came fluttering to the cages containing the females; no others 
returned. 
Exp. 3. May 7. Wind, south-west; station, 225 yards west. 
The young male that had just returned in Exp. 2, was liberated 
at 8:05 p. m., of the same day, the same distance to the rear of 
the house, where the wind could not possibly waft the odors from 
our caged specimens. This moth did not return this time. 
Exp. 4. May 7. Wind, earlier in the evening, had been 
south-west, now imperceptible; station, 225 yards east. Male 9 
had emerged May 5, mated 714 hours later, severed May 6, at 
noon; 30 hours later he was very active, and was liberated in 
the park at 9 p.m. The conditions were the same as in Exp. 2, 
excepting that the wind had fallen and this male had already 
mated. The temperature in the room was 68° F., while outside 
it was 59° F. After 40 minutes, he flew in the window and 
passionately fluttered about the cage; he did not stop at the 
cage in the window, but flew past it into the room and ho 
about the younger female on the table. 
Exp. 5. May 7. Wind, same; station, 1% mile east. This | 
male which had just returned was taken out for a longer dit. = 
