The cross sections of /sup 3,4/He(..pi../sup -/,n)/sup 2,3/H have been measured at 285, 428, 525, and 575 MeV extending the information on the energy dependence beyond the region previously known (50 --300 MeV). The cross sections beyond the region of the ..delta.. resonance are found to decrease less rapidly than that of the elementary ..pi..d..-->..pp process. This energy dependence suggests that pion absorption in a nucleus is associated with ..pi..+N (off-shell) scattering which includes I = 1/2 ..pi..N resonances that are strongly suppressed in ..pi..d..-->..pp.
