BUTTERFLIES OF THE CENTRAL PROVINCES. -2r, 



now take through the trees disturbs scores of Nymphalldcv. The 

 Satyrinca are represented by various kinds of Lethe, Melanitis, 

 Mycalesis and Ypthvma, while nearly all the Junonice, various kinds 

 of Neptis, Athyma, Symphadra aud Precis iphlta represent the 

 Nymphalince. " Skippers," too, glance away from many a leaf, and 

 "blues" and "coppers" twinkle away into the grass and up 

 into the trees. Absara snflusa, "that embodiment of vanity" (see Mr. 

 Aitkeu in our Society's Journal,*) jostles and challenges every other 

 butterfly that passes by. Among the dead leaves it is hard to distin- 

 guish Precis iphita,tlcie Melanites, Mycaleses and Ypthimcs. As we go 

 deeper into the shade, close up to the rocks, and come back towards 

 the stream, sudden flashes of blue and gold reveal to our wondering 

 eyes the existence of Kallima inachis, the great "leaf butterfly." 

 As sudden as was its appearance, so is its disappearance, and we 

 cannot for the life of us make out what has become of it. Surely 

 we saw it settle under that bit of overhanging rock, or was it on 

 the trunk of that tree that is close to the path ? Where is the 

 nymph that so suddenly disclosed herself and as suddenly vanished. 

 Look closely and examine every square inch of rock and tree-trunk 

 surface. Eere's an old and withered leaf — can she be enclosed 

 within it ? Try ! The net is dropped over the leaf, and up rises our 

 wild and wayward nymph, captive and struggling, as beautiful a 

 creation as was ever made in Nature's wonderful workshop. As we 

 go on the sprightly 8ymphcedra nais, with various species of the 

 genus Junonia, equally as sprightly, rise rapidly from almost beneath 

 our feet, and skim along to other spots several yards ahead, where 

 they settle again with fanning wings. The Neptes and Athyma 

 perius — so hard to distinguish the one from the other when on the 

 wing, their general colouring and manner of flight so closely 

 resembling one another — rise with a graceful spring and float 

 along on expanded wing, settling again on the upper surface 

 of the leaves not very far ahead. They literally float along, for they 

 expand their wings and seem scarce to flutter them, so that, 

 when on a level with the eye, they disappear and re-appear in quite 

 a wonderful way. Many species of Ypthima flutter feebly out of 

 the grass and dance away along the path and in and out the stems 



* Vol. I., page 215 (A. fraterna and A. suffusa, perhaps, are the same butterfly). 



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