1883.) 227 



and cannot be nearly so dense as in Borneo ; again, even in the 

 densest j^fii't, trees are constantly toppling over by the roots in the 

 rainy season, or falling from decay, and, if anyvfhere near a village, 

 the natives are frequently felling, if not for the timber, for honey ; so 

 that it is not very difficult, as a rule, to find places where the sun will 

 penetrate. In these openings many butterflies will be found, as species 

 of NymplialidcB, SeliconiidcB, Morphid(S, &c. In the densest parts of 

 the forest, I have found not a few species of Satyridce, tbree species 

 of SetaeroB (including a beautiful transparent- winged species), Tay- 

 getis, &c. These insects especially occurring about the. long, upright, 

 stilt-like spiny roots of various species of palms ; and, wherever the 

 sun can penetrate a little, various EuptyeJiice and other small species 

 of the same family,also Leptalis,Seliconms,Mechanitis,STLniil\Lyc(Enidce, 

 &c. The immense species of Caligo and Brassolis, the Ithomice, and 

 some other IleJiconiidcB, Hades noctula, and many Satyridce, seem to 

 avoid the sun altogether, occurring in places where it seldom, if ever, 

 penetrates, and a few, especially the first-named, appear to be crepus- 

 cular, flying about sunset. The splendid blue Morplios, and the white 

 M. Polyphemus (also in Guatemala), are to be found chiefly in 

 openings in the forest, where they seem to sail along the pathways, 

 lazily flapping their wings, seldom settling and seldom coming within 

 react of the net. 



In the rainy season (April to December), butterflies are generally 

 scattered throughout the forest, but in the dry season (January to 

 March), nearly all the Pieridce, PapilionidcB, NympTialid<s, and Hes- 

 periidce, and some Erycinid(E, congregate about the banks of the nearly 

 dried up rivers and streams, and one may hunt for them almost in 

 vain elsewhere at this period ; the Satyridce, and most of the Seli- 

 coniidce and Morplndce, however, keep to the shady forest. In February 

 and March I have seen hundreds of butterflies of very many different 

 genera, Papilio, CaUidryas, Terias, Junonia, Megalura (many species), 

 Catagramma (ditto), Callicore, AdelpJia, Syncliloe, Colcenis, Libyfhea, 

 Agraulis, Phyciodes, Eubagis, Siderone, PapMa, Apatura, many ILes- 

 periidce, &c., congregated about the river banks, both in the virgin 

 forest and in the open second growth woods, or "rastrojos;" 

 some of these settle for a few moments on the boulders, or in wet 

 places, but always in the very hot sun, and are exceedingly difficult to 

 secure ; others (chiefly species of Papilio, Gallidryas, Terias, Megalura, 

 and Phyciodes) congregate, 50 or even 100 examples together, in one 

 little spot not a foot in circumference, and the whole of them may 

 sometimes be captured by one sweep of the net. 



