gS The Irish Naturalist. July, 



Immediately after completing his college course in 1862, 

 Kane married the only daughter of Rev. Charles J. 

 Hamilton, vicar of Kimbervvorth, near Rotherham, and 

 settled at Drumreaske House, Monaghan, a mansion and 

 demesne near the family property which he had inherited. 

 Here he took an active part in local government, and twice 

 served as High Sheriff of the county. Fishing was his 

 favourite recreation, and he became famous in the district 

 tlirough his prowess as a salmon-catcher. In 1876 an affec- 

 tion of the throat compelled him to seek a milder climate, 

 and he spent some time in the south of France, Italy, and 

 Switzerland. During this continental residence he visited 

 the " Gausses " country of Aquitaine, saw the famous Cro- 

 Magnon caves and became interested in the study of pre- 

 historic Man. But the most important activity of these 

 years in relation to his later scientific work was the collec- 

 tion of butterflies, which he carried on systematical!}'^ at 

 Hyeres and in Switzerland, thus laying the foundation of 

 his wide knowledge of the Lepidoptera and gathering 

 material for the useful small and portable collector's book, 

 " The Butterflies of Europe," which he published in 1885. 

 This book is remarkable for the condensed diagnoses of the 

 species and for the excellent illustrations reproduced from 

 photographs of perfect and beautifully set specimens by the 

 isochromatic process, then recently introduced — " a new 

 departure in entomological publication." 



In 1879 Kane returned to Ireland, and for the next 

 sixteen years lived partl}^ at Drumreaske and partly at 

 Monkstown, on Dublin Bay. He now began to study in 

 earnest the Lepidoptera of Ireland, visiting widel}'^ separated 

 parts of the country and amassing a large collection which 

 illustrated the great range of variation shown b}^ so many 

 of the Irish moths. His discoveries of melanic varieties in 

 western Irish localities vrere especially noteworthy, and his 

 almost black Camptooramma hilincaia from the Blasquets, 

 Co. Kerry, described in 1896, caused a sensation among 

 entomologists. 



At Monkstown the neighbouring sea attracted him, and 

 he acquired a small yacht, the " Linda," in which he made 

 frequent voyages around the coast, exploring the cliffs of 



