198 [September, 



dry winds, or some attractive quality in the scum floating on the 

 water, it is very certain that some powerful influence had been at 

 work, and also that it was not of a nature beneficial to the unfortunate 

 creatures affected by it. 



Hearing of my interest in this curious circumstance, my brother 

 has furnished a few further details. " We should have found many 

 more moths, but the little birds along the stream side had been before- 

 hand with us, and in many places we found only wings. The stream 

 was weak and intermittent, in some places covered with a film, but 

 mostly running clear. It was pretty rough climbing sometimes to 

 make our way along it, and the smell was not good. When a stream 

 is drying up it often is so. ' Euclid ' was well out of the water, but 

 floating upon it, probably killed by the cold. It was winter time, but 

 not such a winter as you experience — stormy winds and fierce sunshine 

 in the open country, and a general lack of moisture, are the leading 

 features in our winter, with very cold nights in the deep valleys where 

 the large rivers flow, but not so keen on the high lands. In the deep 

 bushy dell of the Toleni, lying up in the table land, and yet protected 

 by banks and bush from the winter's extreme of heat and cold, the 

 insects had a specially good chance of life." 



To return to my more constant correspondent. 



" One thing happened at Toleni — besides the daily passing of the 

 post cart — we saw a beautiful wild buck crossing the road near the 

 bridge ; it then came along the road in full view, to the great excite- 

 ment of men and boys. I am kneeling in the waggon writing this, 

 rain falling dismall}^ without, light very dim and pen failing, so must 

 finish to-mori'ow." 



" We had a bad time for a day or two with wet and cold, no 

 collecting, but on Monday (August 8th) we found ourselves at the 

 IJashe River, and among butterflies again. Arthur and Harry caught 

 several (Junonia Oetavia and J. Sesamus) in a sluit, but as they had 

 only their catapults the specimens were rather spoilt. I had an 

 exciting chase after one which sailed round the waggon (I think 

 attracted by the spilt sugar), but failed to catch it, so 1 sent the two 

 little native boys off with a net and they caught a beauty (J. Sesainuti). 

 As we were winding up from the river over the hill my brother found 

 a pretty spotted creamy-yellow moth {lilianidophoi'a phedonia) . These 

 are generally found among long coarse grass by day, flying freely 

 and looking something like a clouded yellow (Colias Edusa \a.r. Plectra), 

 except that they have a rather heavier flight." 



Bhanidophora phedonia. — To return to this curious species — a 



