74 [April, 



andromica, Hew., two ; Aeria eury media, Cram., one ; Uypoleria 

 ocalca, Dbl. and If., one ; and Athesis clearista, Dbl., a female. 



Actinote antceas, Dbl. and H., was of course present, and tbere 

 were a few Skippers, to wit, Hesperia syrichthus, Linn., one; Eudamas 

 eurycles, Latr., one ; Hesperia uniformis, Ploetz, one ; and a worn 

 insect that is probably Chiomara gesta, H.-S. 



I also secured a specimen of the pretty orange, black-bordered, 

 day-flying Geometer, Devarodes hypocritaria, Guen. 



But I reserve to the last my favourite hunting ground ;it Caracas, 

 which I visited altogether four times during my short stay. A. few 

 minutes' walk beyond the Puente 9 de Febrero brings one to the closed 

 Cementerio Hijos de Dios, to the right of which the path crosses a 

 deep '"barranco" where there are usually a number of Actinote anteas, 

 Dbl. and H. : this is an unmistakeable Acraeine ; it has a slow flight, 

 and when at rest the fore-wings are always drawn back completely 

 within the hind-wings, so as to give the insect a very long, drawn- 

 out look. It is tenacious of life, but I did not detect any scent. 



Beyond the barranco the path leads across a field past a cottage 

 and round the head of another smaller barranco — where the effects 

 of denudation with fairly well-formed " earth-pillars " may be studied 

 — it then strikes a small water-course* cut along the mountain side. 

 The path may be followed eastwards, beside the channel, along the 

 contour at a height of about 3600 feet above the sea. A more 

 delightful walk can scarcely be imagined with the city at one's feet, 

 yet for all practical purposes miles away, since the numerous bar- 

 rancos keep all but a few farmers well out of reach. There are 

 plenty of flowers along the water-course and plenty of insects. 

 About a mile brings one to the source, a small mountain torrent rising 

 in the cloud regions far above, but compelled by the patient fai*mers 

 to water their lands below. It is easy to scramble down the bed of 

 the stream, but I found it better to take a path to the right leading 

 through a picturesque farmyard, below which another water-course is 

 reached, about 120 feet lower down the mountain. Here Leptophobia 

 aripa, Boisd., was usually in abundance, together with the beautiful 

 day-flying Arctiid, TJtetheisa (Deiopeia) ornatrix, Linn. Turning again 

 to the left along the channel the source was soon reached. A strip 

 of forest on either bank hides the torrent from view, presumably to 

 preserve the water. Here was all that a tropical Collector could desire 

 — trees, flowers, shelter from wind, sunshine (in the forenoon), and 



* This is just what a Madeiran Portuguese would call a levada ; I have had much difficulty 

 in learning the Spanish equivalent, perhaps toma or acueducto. 



