1 24 [3\mti, 



A visit to the famous Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya was not 

 productive of insect booty. The day was dull, and from time to time 

 the rain fell in torrents. The usual afternoon thunderstorm did not 

 improve matters, and much of my time was spent under the roof of 

 a hut on the slope overlooking the river. Between the showers, 

 Yphthima eeylonica was to be seen in plenty. Immediately after rain, 

 or even before the last drops had fallen, numbers of this cheerful 

 little Satyrid appeared on the wing ; flying near the ground, and 

 settling with wings sometimes open, sometimes closed. 



At a cluster of Lanfana flowers, on the east shore of the lake, I 

 took Precis iphita Cram. This butterfly was on one occasion noted by 

 Dr. Longstaff at flowers, though he observes that this is not a common 

 habit of the species {Joe. cit., p. 64). My specimen, a male, possessed 

 no distinct odour. Neptis varmona was taken at Lontana flowers in 

 the same place, which also yielded Talicadanyseus, Y^jhtli'una eeylonica, 

 and a handsome Hemipteron, EctrycJiotes sp., captured on the wing. 

 A pale-coloured Arctiid moth, Migoplastis aiba Moore, 5 , picked up 

 in the road at Kandy by a fellow-traveller, Mr. C. Skyrme ; and a 

 metallic-green beetle, Enchlora {Anomala) dvssumieri Blanch., found 

 by the same gentleman in the road between Kandy and Peradeniya, 

 complete the tale of my collecting at Kandy. 



On returning to Colombo, I revisited my old locality ; war 

 conditions, however, proved to be adverse to collecting. The best 

 spot was in occupation by the military ; after capturing a single 

 Parantica aglea I was challenged by an armed sentry, and finding 

 him impervious to reason, I thought it best to withdraw. Other 

 places were improductive, but in the Park I saw Delias eucharis Drury, 

 on a flower — the only specimen of this common butterfly that has 

 crossed my path. 



The remainder of the voyage was entomologically uneventful. 

 On the morning of Oct. 16th, a fine view was had of Cape Comorin ; 

 and on Oct. 20th, R.M.S. "Otway" was in the Grulf of Aden. Here a 

 pretty Sphingid came on board — small, and with a stripe of old gold 

 on each side of its body. It was boxed, but eventually made good its 

 escape. A Macroglossa (?) was seen flying about the ship off Suez. 

 At Port Said a fine specimen of Mantis religiosa was secured on deck. 

 On Nov. 2nd we were once more at Gibraltar. The day was perfect — 

 fine, warm, and sunny. Many butterflies were on the wing— whites 

 and Vanessas. Hibiscus, plumbago, and other flowering shrubs were well 

 out in bloom. The " pepper trees" (Schinus molle) were bright with 



