436 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



he asserts that it is quite certain that they need some food 

 other than honey to allow them to develop their eggs satisfactorily. 

 The mode of pairing, he says, is most peculiar ; instead of 

 the $ hanging herself up to call, she flies wildly about, squeaking 

 frequently,* and the $ , taking hold of the ? whilst still on 

 the wing, has paired almost before she has time to alight, nor 

 does the $ turn round and stand head downwards when they have 

 paired, as do the other Sphingids, but clings to the $ quite differently 

 from any other Sphingid known to him. It is generally supposed 

 that the abdominal scent-fans, found in the $ , form a sexual attraction, 

 and Swinton observes (Ent. Mo. Mag., xiii., p. 219) that the yellow 

 fan or fascicle of hairs, rising perpendicularly from a fold on either side 

 of the anterior part of the abdomen of the $ , emits a pungent smell of 

 jessamine, whilst Hall states that the odour is like musk (Ent., xvi., 

 p. 14). Bertkau states (Ver/i. d. nat. Ver. Rhein., xli., p. 344) that 

 the bristles, forming the brush-like tuft, are connected with glands, 

 which, when the hairs are in an erected position, pour out their 

 contents into the tuft, and thus diffuse the scent. Wing- 

 expansion : Moss gives details of the wing-expansion| of the 

 imago as follows: A $ emerged between 12.0 (midnight) and 

 12.15, tne wings began to expand at 12.30, the moth 

 remaining fixed in position, though actively twitching the 

 body, contracting and extending the last 4 segments of the 

 abdomen, the ventral surface of segments 9 and n especially 

 appearing to contain a volume of fluid in constant agitation. The 

 thorax and other parts of the body at the time are decidedly moist, 

 the hair appearing matted, the antenna erect, the palpi widely open, 

 the proboscis from time to time extended ; the wings were thrown back 

 at 12.55, and were fully expanded at 1.10 a.m., whilst they were 

 finally let down into their normal position (roofwise) at 2.15 a.m. 

 Morres warns those who breed the moth to give them something 

 on which to climb when newly-emerged, and to see that they 

 have sufficient room for the wings to expand, since the wings of 

 necessity hang in a perpendicular position whilst expansion 

 takes place, the tips being curled until growth is quite completed ; 

 he says that, after the wings are dry, they gradually separate 

 until, when they are about \\ inches apart, the whole insect 

 quivers and they suddenly fall back roofwise, entirely covering 



that the autumnal-emerging ? s are not only barren but have no, or an imperfectly- 

 formed, ovipositor, and Aigner-Abafi repeats (///us. Zeits. fur Eut., i\\, p. 211) 

 this statement, on the authority of Biedermann {Soc. Ent., iv., p. 10^). It has 

 also been asserted that the autumnal ? s become more sterile the further north 

 they are bred [teste Ochsenheimer, Die Sc/unett., ii., p. 239), although (teste 

 Pabst) sterile ?s are frequently found in Spain. It must not be overlooked that 

 the ? s referred to by Head (supra) emerged in July. 



* As bearing- out this view, Anderson writes (Ent., xix.. p. 249) that, on 

 August 3rd, 1886, two moths were in the cage together, and that no sooner had he 

 caught hold of one than it commenced squeaking out its protestations, when its com- 

 panion crawled on his lingers, and could only with difficulty be disengaged. He 

 adds that he thinks that the cry is used as a means of communication between 

 the insects. 



t Stephens asserts (///us., i., p. 117) that, upon emergence, the wings 

 and limbs of the imago are enveloped in a line thin membrane, which, rapidly 

 drying and opening, liberates the imago, whose wings become speedily enlarged, 

 &c. It is difficult to guess how this strange statement originated. 



