76 Mr. F. A. Dixeij [March 8, 



of Africa south of the Sahara, appears to me to be exactly that of 

 sweetbriar. It is a good deal like that of our garden white (not the 

 green-veined species), but very much more intense. Indeed, so 

 powerful is it, that I have more than once perceived it when the 

 butterfly was held in the hand at some considerable distance. 



There is a pretty species of Mylothrk which I found rather 

 common at P^ast London (South Africa). It has been named trimenia, 

 after the distinguished naturalist who presided for many years over 

 the South African Museum at Cape Town. It has a graceful, floating 

 flight, and the hindwings in the male are of a delicate lemon-yellow. 

 The general attractiveness of this insect is increased by its pleasant 

 fragrance. This is quite different from the odour of its congener 

 agathma, though at least equally powerful. It is not easy to describe, 

 but may perhaps best be compared to the scent of sweet-pea or 

 clover, with a suggestion of orange-peel or lemon. The females of 

 both these species of 3Iylothris are destitute of odour. The curious 

 shape of the male scent-scales, which is tolerably uniform throughout 

 the genus, is shown in an outline diagram. 



In a couple of months' time our country lanes will be enlivened 

 by the presence of a butterfly known no doubt to many of you as the 

 " Orange-tip." This very pretty insect is much like one of our 

 common whites, but may be distinguished by the elaborate green 

 mottling of portions of the under surface — a feature of colouring 

 which causes the butterfly to be almost invisible when it settles with 

 closed wings on the head of an umbelliferous plant. This green 

 mottling is found in both sexes, but the male has in addition a 

 large patch of bright orange at the apex of the forewing. 

 Whether this butterfly is scented I am unable to say, as I never 

 happen to have had the opportunity of examining live specimens 

 since I began to search for butterfly odours, but the male certainly 

 possesses plume-scales of the same general character as those of the 

 common whites, though ditiiering, as will be seen by reference to the 

 diagram, in points of detail. I should be glad to receive information 

 as to its power of scent-production from any of you who may make 

 the acquaintance of the butterfly during the coming Spring. 



Though I have at present no information on this point as to our 

 English Orange-tip, I have been able to test several foreign species 

 which are somewhat like it in aspect, and are not very far removed 

 from it in point of affinity. These belong to the genus Teracolus. 

 One of these Teracoli, called omplutle, common in Africa, has a scent 

 which I compare to that of PlUladelphus, commoidy called " Syringa," 

 or perhaps more exactly to that of the white lily, together with a more 

 aromatic constituent suggesting at one time chocolate, at another, 

 musk. A second African Orange-tip, Teracolus achine, has a scent, 

 not always present, which reminds me of honeysuckle. The scent of 

 a thu'd African species, Teracolus auxo, in which the general colora- 

 tion is yellow instead of white, recalls that of jasmine or Fhiladel^)hi(s. 



