192 THE entomologist's RKCOKI). 



of the red. The males, so far as I have observed, always have yellow 

 abdomina. Another interesting phase of variation occasionally ob- 

 served not only in this species, but also in the allied Arctia raia and 

 A. rillica, is the development of a smoky hue over the normally yellow 

 portions of the hind-wings. j\Ir. Home {Knt. R-c, iii., p. 58) refers 

 to one, and I have at various times seen several similar specimens. 



Before concluding, I would call attention to an article {(/au. Knt., 

 1895, April and May),'-'' comparing this species with the North Ameri- 

 can K. jH'trosa, which is an extreme development, in its normal con- 

 dition, of the alha-matronalis form, i.e., in the direction of the excessive 

 increase of the dark markings of both fore- and hind-wings. An excel- 

 lent plate illustrates the article, and it will interest many of our 

 readers to see what A', jilantat/inis may become in its far-distant and 

 isolated localities. It is quite a moot point whether petrom should be 

 awarded specific or varietal rank, and it seems impossible to determine 

 this until the early stages have been carefully compared by competent 

 entomologists. 



In conclusion, I would add that our readers might do worse than 

 overhaul their series of this species, and carefully tabulate the aberra- 

 tions captured in the various parts of our islands. Especially in- 

 teresting would be the results obtained as to the distribution of the 

 various forms by those whose specimens have come from the higher- 

 lying and western districts of the British Islands. 



* These numbers can be obtained, price 6d. each, from Kev. C J. S. Bethune, 

 Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. 



Notes on Charaxes jasius : its life=history, protective resemblance, 

 etc., with some observations on moulting and pupation. 



By T. A. CHAPMAN, M.D., F.E.S. 



LiFE-HisTOKY OF C. JASIUS. — The interest attaching to this butter- 

 fly is very various. It is our largest European butterfly, though not, 

 perhaps, incontestably so. It belongs to a group not otherwise repre- 

 sented in Europe, but characteristic of Africa, and especially equa- 

 torial Africa. It has a very handsome and curious caterpillar, whose 

 habits are not, perhaps, very widely different from those of our own 

 Apatura iris, which itself is one of our most interesting butterflies. 

 C. Jasim is found in Europe, only along the southern coasts, and, of 

 course, only where its food-plant. Arbutus uuedo, grows freely. 



I first had the pleasure of seeing this butterfly alive thirty odd 

 years ago, thanks to the kindness of a friend wintering at Mentone ; 

 but not till this spring had I the opportunity of searching for the 

 larva myself. 



It would appear to be sufficiently common in some places for 

 local collectors, who know its habits, to obtain several hundred larvai 

 during the winter, whilst it is still small, and not thinned by the 

 many accidents that may befall during hybernation. My search was 

 made late in March, when most are in their last skins, and when 

 the numbers are certainly much fewer. On a fine day, at this period, 

 one may not only fancy himself in Africa as searching for an essen- 

 tially African species, but in the Esterels, where I made my search, 

 C. jasius so affects the warmest situations, that the sun, even so early, 



