70 Journal New York Entomological Society. [voi. v. 
other entomologist, preferring a poor specimen to none, attempted to 
secure it, when he was astonished to see his treasure take wing and 
disappear. Returning again to the same tree an hour later, he ob¬ 
served a second specimen, or perhaps the same one in the same 
position, but this took wing and disappeaied. Returning again next 
day, he began to brush the trunk of the tree with a small limb, 
as is usually done in flushing Ccitoccilci. Finally, a moth alighted 
within two feet of him, ran rapidly a few inches and disappeared. It 
was then that the observer saw that the moth, after reaching the tree, 
would run to some projecting piece of bark that had a certain gray 
color so common upon old elm trees, then make a quarter turn, 
and fold its wings in a peculiar way upon the spot selected, that 
blended so well with it as to become invisible. In the normal position 
of these moths when at rest the color of the upper surface of the wings- 
would contract with the color of the surface on which it was resting; 
as only the color and markings of the under side of the lower wing, and 
a narrow margin of the upper edge of the under side of upper wing, 
harmonize with the grayish spots before mentioned, and therefore these 
last must be displayed and the others hidden. The moth by making a 
quarter turn, and by pushing the upper wings deeply between the lower 
ones, effectually hides all colors not in harmony with its surroundings. 
As the colors upon the exposed parts vary somewhat from a very pale to 
dark, the insect, in order to render the deception complete, must se¬ 
lect a spot of the proper shade to correspond ; yet Prof. Lugger states 
that of the hundreds of moths he saw, none could be detected upon the 
trees unless the spot upon which they were observed to settle was kept 
carefully in sight until they were approached closely. In this case the 
deception was more largely a matter of action than of coloration, and 
the action would certainly imply a knowledge of not only the colors of 
its own wings but of its surroundings also. Collectors of Catocala are 
familiar with similar phenomena among that group of moths, as a scar 
or slight blaze, such as is often made by woodmen to mark paths or 
boundaries, are more often selected for resting places than other parts of 
the trees. 
In North American Entomologist, Vol. I, p. 3 °> Dr. D. Kelli- 
cott has called attention to the fact that the moth Alaria florida Guen.,. 
conceals itself during the day in the withering blossoms of the Evening 
Primrose, (Enothera biennis. The inner two-thirds of the fore wings 
of this moth are bright pink, while the outer third, hind wings and 
abdomen, are pale yellow. The moth enters the flower before day. 
