Chap. XI. Butterflies and Moths. 313 



from California, the orange-tips to the wings have been partially 

 developed in the female ; but they are paler than in the male, and 

 slightly different in some other respects. In an allied Indian 

 form, the Ipkias glauci/ipe, the orange-tips are fully developed in 

 both sexes. In this Iphias, as pointed out to me by Mr. A. Butler 

 the under surface of the wings marvellously resembles a pale- 

 coloured leaf; and in our English orange-tip, the under surface 

 resembles the flower-head of the wild parsley, on which the 

 butterfly often rests at night.'" The same reason which compels 

 us to believe that the lower surfaces have here been coloured for 

 the sake of protection, leads us to deny that the wings have 

 been tipped with bright orange for the same purpose, especially 

 when this character is confined to the males. 



Most Moths rest motionless during the whole or greater part 

 of the day with their wings depressed; and the whole upper 

 surface is often shaded and coloured in an admirable manner, as 

 Mr. Wallace has remarked, for escaping detection. The front- 

 wings of the BombycidsB and Noctuidse," when at rest, generally 

 overlap and conceal the hind-wings ; so that the latter might be 

 brightly coloured without much risk; and they are in fact 

 often thus coloured. During flight, moths would often be able 

 to escape from their enemies ; nevertheless, as the hind-wings 

 are then fully exposed to view, their bright colours must 

 generally have been acquired at some little risk. But the 

 following fact shews how cautious we ought to be in drawing 

 conclusions on this head. The common Yellow Under- wings 

 (Triphaena) often fly about during the day or early evening, and 

 are then conspicuous from the colour of their hind-wings. It 

 would naturally be thought that this would be a source of 

 danger ; but Mr. J. Jenner Weir believes that it actually serves 

 them as a means of escape, for birds strike at these brightly 

 coloured and fragile surfaces, instead of at the body. For in 

 stance, Mr. Weir turned into his aviary a vigorous specimen of 

 Triphtena pronuba, which was instantly pursued by a robin; 

 but the bird's attention being caught by the coloured wings, the 

 moth was not captured until after about fifty attempts, and 

 small portions of the wings were repeatedly broken off. He tried 

 the same experiment, in the open air, with a swallow and T. 

 fimbria; but the large size of this moth probably interfered 

 with its capture.'^ We are thus reminded of a statement made 



'" See the interesting observations Science Gos-sip,' Sept. 1867, p. 193. 



oy llr. T. W. Wood, 'The Student,' '^ See also, on this subject, Mr 



Kej.'t. 1868, p. 81. Weir's paper in 'Transact, lint. Soo. 



" Mr. Wallace in 'Hardwicke'.'* 1869, p, 23, 



