MARIDA— WAVUZIWA 115 



Perhaps the most interesting butterfly of the islands 

 was a Libythea caught by Fiske ; no species of this family 

 had been met with previously on any isle. A total of 

 124 species was found on this brief visit to Wema, and 

 probably half as many again would be added by further 

 investigation (see p. 125). 



On February 21st we visited two of the small islets 

 Ijang east of Wema, going first to Marida, which consists 

 of two flat, grassy portions connected by an isthmus 

 along which is a pebbly beach. There is no forest growth, 

 but low bushes and fig trees form a fringe along parts of 

 the shore. A coniferous tree, Podocarpus, called by the 

 Basesse " OmusSnene," was here noted for the first time. 

 A crocodile was seen, and a nest of eggs found, and two 

 Enswa-swa were found on the island. 



The only point noticed about bird life was that bee- 

 eaters were there in some number, and they do not frequent 

 every island ; sunbirds also were quite common on the 

 isthmus, and the " Kunguvu " flycatcher was seen. 



Marida is very decidedly a " spider island " ; Glossina 

 was represented by an average catch of 4*6 per. boy-hour. 

 Of butterflies, it was remarkable that no Acraeines were 

 seen, and while individuals of other species were scarce, 

 a fair number of species was seen (see p. 125). 



The feature of Marida was the abundance of a slug, 

 broadly resembling the English L. agrestis, but with a 

 little fleshy spike on the end of the body reminding one 

 of the caudal horn of a Sphingid larva ; this species had 

 not been met with before. 



From Marida we went on to Wavuziwa, a rocky islet 

 with very little shade except from fig trees ; ferns were 

 abundant. One crocodile and one Enswa-swa were seen ; 

 of birds, weavers and sunbirds were plentiful, also the 

 " Nightingale flycatcher," and one coucal was seen. 



Glossina was very scarce, for all the fly boys together 

 in an hour only caught seven ; Nephila was not seen at 



