MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 157 



The real enemies of butterflies are, I believe, lizards and frogs and. no doubt, 

 tree snakes. Therefore all protective colours and forms found among them 

 are intended to conceal them when at rest. When a butterfly is found with a 

 large piece torn out of both hind wings, as we so often find them, it has had a 

 narrow escape from a lizard. KalUma, when at rest on the trunk of a tree, 

 always turns its head downwards, though this somewhat spoils its resemblance 

 to a leaf. I believe the reason is that the danger is greatest of a lizard ascend- 

 ing the tree. Chameleons are very fond of butterflies, epecially Pierince. 



E. H. AITKEN. 



Kurrachee, 30</i June 19.04. 



No. VII— THE RECENT PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS IN BOMBAY. 



With reference to the letter published in the last number of the Journal by 

 Mr. A. B. Mosse, in which he states that, while Acridium succinctum was ravag- 

 ing the country round Bombay, Acridium peregrinum was invading Mahi 

 Kantha, Kaira and Ahmedabad, perhaps the results of my observations of 

 these two species may be of some interest. A. succinctum (if there is no doubt 

 about the correctness of the name) has long been a familiar insect to me as the 

 big grasshopper of the Deccan. Even on the coast it is common, and some- 

 times very common, on hilly ground where there is long grass. But whenever 

 there has been a visitation of locusts and I have been able to secure specimens, 

 the species has been A. peregrinum. During the great plague of 1883, when 

 Matheran and, I think, Mahabuleshwar too were reduced to desolation, many 

 stragglers fell into Bombay and they were A. peregrinum. I have often met 

 with them at other times, once as far south as Rutnagherry. But all I have 

 seen have been manifestly visitors. Their breeding grounds are in the north. 

 In Sind they are " endemic," breeding in the sandhills of Thar and Parkar and 

 overspreading the province several times a year. On occasions, perhaps when 

 for some reason they have been more prolific than usual, they set out on those 

 great migrations which have given them such a terrible reputation since the 

 days of Moses : for I believe there is no doubt that this is the species mentioned 

 in the book of Exodus. Their powers of flight are marvellous. Especially 

 when they first arrive they sail about with such ease and grace that I have 

 mistaken them for huge dragonflies. I do not believe that A. succinctum can 

 be compared with them in this respect, and I have always till lately refused to 

 recognise it as a " locust " in the popular sense. But evidently it also, when 

 times are hard, breaks out and overflows its proper limits. Unfortunately 

 there appear to be no reliable records of the extent to which it may spread. 

 It should surely be possible even now to ascertain exactly how far the present 

 swarm has extended. 



There is another curious fact to which attention should be directed. I have 

 obtained, through the kindness of friends, two lots of specimens of this swarm 

 and they are all of a rich red colour. From the accounts in the newspapers 

 I gather that this has been their tint everywhere. Now the colour of A. 



