356 



THE GYPSY MOTH. 



ering about the box. The male in question remained quiet 

 until 5 P.M. 



Uxperimeni JVb. 32, 

 July 26. At 3 P.M., the eyes of three male moths were 

 covered with shellac, and they were then placed within two 

 feet of two mature, unfertilized females. At 3.05, one male 

 flew to the females and attempted to mate, but was unsuc- 

 cessful. At 3.25, another male approached the females, in 

 the same manner, but with no better success, but at 3.35 

 two of the males were successful in mating with two 

 females. 



Experiment JSfo, 33, 



July 27. At 9.30 a.m., two males with eyes and a part 

 of the head covered entirely with shellac were placed on the 

 experimental bench, three feet from four unfertilized females. 

 At 12 M., one of these males began to fly about, and at 1 

 P.M. he was found mating with a female five feet from the 

 place where he was at noon. At 1.45 he left the female, and 

 at this same time the other male, whose eyes had been cov- 

 ered with shellac, mated with a female and remained with 

 her up to the time the experiment closed, at 5 p.m. 



From the preceding experiments the following conclusions 

 may be drawn : — 



1. Coating the abdomen of the female with varnish or 

 denuding it of hair deprives her, in a great measure, of the 

 power to assemble males. The amount of assembling which 

 takes place under these conditions varies inversely with the 

 amount of body surface coated or denuded. 



2. The presence or absence of wings in either sex does 

 not greatly influence the assembling process. 



3. The sense of sight is not necessary to the operations 

 of assembling. 



4. The antennae are absolutely necessary to the male in 

 locating the female, and without them assembling is impos- 

 sible. It is a well-known fact that the males of this species 

 coming from any distance always approach from the lee- 

 ward side of the female, thus apparently indicating that the 

 assembling is the result of an odor given off by the female, 

 and carried by the wind. 



