Note for M^r. Darwin

The flowers of Hedychium Gardnerianum are much frequented by Sphinx moths.¹ I discovered this six or seven years ago, and ever since, in the season, have taken advantage of the discovery, to obtain sphinxes, by bringing a few heads of Hedychium flowers to my open verandah for the purpose of attracting these creatures, and immediately after dusk several were sure to make their appearance and hover about the flowers. I did not observe that the tips of these insects wings were bedaubed with pollen, but as I did not direct my attention to this particular point, they may have been so without my observing it— I cannot at present, with absolute certainty, send specimens of Sphinxes actually caught on the Hedychium Gardnerianum, but when the season comes round again shall secure, and forward specimens—

J. Gammie | Gov^t. Cinchona Plantations | Darjeeling—

Mongpoo² | 16-2-74