PDF - Wallace Online

276 TROPICAL NATUREsettle upon foliage and on flowers, holding their wings erectand folded together, though early in the morning, or whennewly emerged from the chrysalis, they often expand them tothe sun. Many, however, have specialstations and attitudes.Some settle always on tree -trunks, usually with the wingserect, but the Ageronias expand them and always rest withthe head downwards. Many Nymphalidse prefer resting onthe top of a stick ;others choose bushes with dead leaves ;others settle on rocks or sand or in dry forest paths. Piecesof decaying animal or vegetable matter are very attractive tocertain species, and if disturbed they will sometimes return tothe same spot day after day. Some Hesperidse, as well asspecies of the genera Cyrestis and Symmachia, and a fewothers, rest on the ground with their wings fully expandedand pressed closely to the surface, as if exhibiting themselvesto the greatest advantage. The beautiful little Erycinidse ofSouth America vary remarkably in their mode of resting.The majority always rest on the under surface of leaves withtheir wings expanded, so that when they settle they suddenlydisappear from sight. Some, however, as the elegant goldspottedHelicopis cupido, rest beneath leaves with closedwings. A few, as the genera Charis and Themone, forexample, sit on the upper side of leaves with their wingsexpanded while the; gorgeously-coloured Erycinas rest withwings erect and exposed as in the majority of butterflies.The Hesperidae vary in a somewhat similar manner. All reston the upper side of leaves or on the ground, but some closetheir wings, others expand them, and a third group keepthe upper pair of wings raised while the hind wings areexpanded, a habit found in some of our European species.Many of the Lycsenidse, especially the Theclas, have thecurious habit, whilesitting with their wings erect, ofmoving the lower pair over each other in opposite directions,giving them the strange appearance of eccentrically revolvingdiscs.The great majority of butterflies disappear at night, restingconcealed amid foliage, or on sticks or trunks, or in suchplaces as harmonise with their colours and markings but the;gaily-coloured Heliconidaa and Daniadae seek no such concealment,but rest at night hanging at the ends of slender twigs