BY GERVASE F. MATHEW, R.N., F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.R G.S., &C. 261 



to a height of ten feet, for besides these large dwellings there were 

 a number of smaller ones in course of erection, some only a few 

 inches above the surface of the ground, but they had all an old 

 weather beaten appearance. The galleries looked as if they had 

 been lined with a dark reddish-brown shining substance, though 

 this might have been produced by the traffic of such multitudes of 

 insects constantly running to and fro. • 



Tlie first butterflies we saw were Junonia orithya which were 

 fond of settling on bare patches on the ground, but they were so 

 wary that they were very difficixlt to catch. There was a strong 

 breeze blowing, and directly they took wing they were carried off 

 at a gieat pace. Some of the eucalypti trees were in flower and 

 proved attractive to several species of butterflies notably Papilio 

 Polijdorus and Eurycus cressida, butterflies which are very similar 

 in habits and appearance when on the wing. One evidently mimics 

 the other, and they fly in a slow floating manner, and are seemingly 

 easy to catch. However, to day in this particular locality they 

 were flying high out of reach among the topmost branches of 

 the trees. Occasionally one descended and crossed the opening 

 to another tree. This afi'orded a chance, and a rush was made 

 after it, and it was amusing to watch how easily it avoided the 

 frantic strokes of the net, and reached its goal in perfect safety, 

 while its would-be captor stood still beneath the tree hot, panting, 

 and probably with bruised shins, and in bad French, blessed 

 Polydorus who was again feasting unconcernedly aloft. By the 

 way has anyone noticed how closely Papilis an%ctus mimics Acrcea 

 Andromache in its flight and general appearance ? I have upon 

 several occasions mistaken the two, the former flying in the weak 

 straight manner of the latter, and the colours and pattern of both 

 somewhat resembling each other. Among the grass were several 

 species of Terias, Satyridce, Lycosnidoe, and Hesj^eridce, and also a 

 few Noctuce, GeometrcB, and Pyrahs, but on the whole Ilicro- 

 Lepidoptera were far from plentiful. 



As soon as we reached the edge of the forest the aspect of afiairs 

 changed, and butterflies became decidedly more numerous. Here 

 we separated, my companions keeping outside, while I scrambled 



