21 
erratic manner until within about three feet of where she sat. The 
rapid flight was instantly checked, and it commenced to fly backwards 
and forwards, advancing very slowly as it did so, evidently searching 
for her; when within a foot I netted it, and in doing so slightly 
disturbed her; the vibrations of her wings ceased, and after a short 
pause she commenced to crawl further up the stem. I feel sure it was 
the net that disturbed her, and not any consciousness of the approach 
of the male. As she climbed up, she gave a quick flutter or two, then 
moved up a little, another flutter and a further progress upward, until 
she seemed satisfied, settled herself comfortably on the stem, and began 
again with the rapid vibrations uf her wings. This was kept up for 
rather over twenty minutes before another male appeared. It flew in 
the same way, rapidly but erratically, until within three or four feet, 
and then slowly backwards and forwards, advancing as it did so until 
it found her. There cannot, I think, be the slightest doubt that the 
female diffuses a faint attractive odour, and that the vibration of the 
wings assists to diffuse it. This diffusion judging by the distance at 
which the males changed their mode of flight, does not appear to be 
effective more than three or four feet from where it emanates. The 
night in question was absolutely calm, perhaps with a little wind it 
might have influence to a greater distance.” The males of Hepialus 
sylvinus fly in a similar manner to those of lupulinus , and it would be 
reasonable to assume from this that their mode of attraction is the same. 
A solitary and far from complete observation which I recorded in 1887 
( E.M.M , vol. xxiii., p. 214) may be quoted here. “I had sugared 
some parts on the railway side, and was wandering about in the 
twilight, looking for nothing in particular, when my attention was 
drawn to a large moth fluttering in a peculiar manner on a stem of grass : it 
seemed as though it was trying to escape from something that held it 
fast; thinking some large spider, or other predaceous creature had hold 
of it, I lit my lantern, and then saw it was sitting on the stem 
vibrating its wings with such rapidity, that I could not possibly see what 
the species was. I watched it closely, and presently a small moth, 
unheeding the glare of my lantern, flew to it. I needed to be very 
quick to secure it before they paired. The vibratory motions of the 
wings ceased as soon as the other touched it, and I saw it was an extra 
large female sylvinus. For nearly ten minutes she remained motionless, 
then, after a preliminary flutter or two, the motions of the wings 
recommenced, and presently another male flew up; this time they 
were too quick for me, and the pairing was accomplished.” I have 
quoted this after the observations on lupulinus , though it was made first, 
but it was less complete, and having only a dim light, I could not 
notice minor matters so well as in the later observations made in bright 
daylight. As far as it goes, it fully confirms the observations of last 
year. In August, 1890, I noticed a number of males of sylvinus flying 
to a particular spot; it was almost bare of herbage, and as each came 
up, they seemed to push themselves down on the sand, then fluttered 
about a little, and flew away. One or two flew a little distance, came 
back, and went through the same motions again, pushing down on to 
the sand, and fluttering about. I took quite a number, without stirring 
from the spot, and might have taken many more. I imagine a female 
had emerged there, perhaps the evening before, and that traces of the 
scent still remained. I marked the exact spot, and went again the 
