260 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1890. 



attachments and amenable to good treatment, they conclude that he 

 is a model animal of transport. He can be ridden, driven, or used 

 for pack purposes ; his flesh is edible and not unpleasant to the taste ; 

 he will carry small guns and sick men. He gives little trouble over 

 shoeing and may be left unshod, behind especially, for a long time 

 without detriment. He is rather choice in his selection of water, 

 and moist cold weather is unsuited to him ; though he exhibits a 

 notable freedom from disease, he suffers severely from some specific 

 affections. He works longer than the horse ( 5 years of age to 

 15-20 j r ears), but takes somewhat longer to mature. He inherits the 

 " sobriety, patience, endurance, and sure-footedness of the ass and 

 the vigour, strength, and courage of the horse" (Fleming). Making 

 allowance for size, he carries a weight one-third again as large as 

 that of the horse, so he is essentially a pack animal. 



Somewhat of the unjust opprobrium which hangs in Western coun- 

 tries about his progenitor the ass still influences the popular views 

 on the mule. In this age of utility, however, this is being steadily 

 " lived down," and any man who has been on a campaign with a 

 mixed transport of mules, camels, cattle, elephants, and carls will 

 not hesitate to put in a good word for the interesting hybrid to which 

 I have ventured to draw your attention brieflv this evenina'. 



NOTES ON THE LARA f M AND PtTPiE 01 SOME 01 

 THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BOMBAY FftESIDEIV( 'Y. 



By J. Davidson, Bo. C.S,, anii E H, Aitken 



(With P kites A, B, and C.) 



Finding ourselves together at the beginning of last rains in a 

 region richer entomologically than any of which either of us had 

 had any experience before, we determined to devote the monsoon 

 months to the study of butterflies, more especially in their infancy 

 and youth. We were successful beyond our wildest hopes. Forest - 



yered hills were within a mile of our doors, the climate seemed 



