2 54 SOUTH- AFRICAN BUTTEEFLIES. 



The species-identity of the conspicuous pale-yellow tailed male Papilio 

 known as P. Meroj)e or P. Brutus with the sombre-tinted tail-less females P. 

 Cenea, P. Troplionms, P. HippocooJi, and other unnamed varieties, was pointed 

 out by myself as in the highest degree probable in 1868 {Trajis. Linn. Soc. 

 Lond., 1869), and was proved in 1873 by Mr. J. P. Mansel Weale, who reared 

 the (J and the three prominent forms of $ — eight of each sex — from exactly 

 similar larva? (Trans. Ent. Soc, 1874). In 1881 I was enabled to place on 

 record Colonel Bowker's capture of the paired sexes at D'Urban on the 2 2d Feb- 

 ruary in that year (Trans. Ent. Soc, 1881, p. 169, pi. ix.) ; and I received from 

 him in the following year a second pair (still united), taken on the 3d July. 

 I one case the ,$ was of the prevalent continuous-banded Natalian variation, but 

 in the other had the hind-wing band reduced to three rather small and widely 

 separated blotches ; the $ being in both cases the ordinary one of the white- 

 spotted variation. Colonel Bowker noted that in flight the ($ carried the 5 .^ 



This fine species is quite confined to wooded districts, but is numerous in 

 such tracts during the summer, the $ being, however, much less frequently 

 seen on the wing than the ^ . The latter is exceeding "conspicuous in flight, 

 taking a rapid irregular course over and about the underwood, and following 

 usually a set circuitous route, only interrupted by occasional halts at flowers, 

 especially those of Plumbago. At Knysna I noted a specimen with peculiarly 

 torn wings return repeatedly over the same ground, and twice captured it. Mr. 

 Mansel "\7eale and Colonel IJowker have both noted this behaviour of the ^ , and 

 agree in their observation that it is related to the presence of the ^ , who 

 remains settled in some shady spot among the weeds and bushes. Colonel Bowker 

 has seen a ^ with a broken wing return many times to the same 5 > passing on 

 after making " two or three dips M'ith half-closed wings." Mr. Weale further 

 records that "as the afternoon draws on the females leave their retiring spot 

 and flutter slowly about, sometimes coming out into the open, but more appa- 

 rently to show themselves than for the sake of food. On one occasion I 

 saw four males busily courting a female, but unfortunately I disturbed them." 

 The ? is always, as far as I have observed, much slower on the wing than the 

 ^ , and stays much longer at the flowers she visits. I noticed at Knysna that 

 she specially afiected the small white flowers of a low-growing labiate. 



The brown and ochre-yellow colouring of the under side of P. Cenea serves 

 well to protect the butterfly from observation when at rest among withered 

 foliage. 



Mrs. Barber, at the beginning of the year 1871, was fortunate enough to 

 observe this protective resemblance in nature, and sent me the following note 

 on the subject, viz. : — 



" I caught a fine Merope with my finger and thumb the other day. It 

 was just beginning to rain, and, though it w^as not late, Merojje thought proper to 

 seek a resting-place, which he Avisely chose upon a shrub which resembled his 

 own under-side colouring. It was a splendid match. When he closed his 

 wings among the yellow and brown seeds and flowers of the shrub, no bird 

 would ever have distinguished him. I had no net with me, and my first 

 attempt was a failure. However, the butterfly took a turn round the neigh- 

 bourhood, examined several other shrubs (which he found were not so good, I 

 suppose), and eventually returned to the same perch." 



The mimicry of Amauris Echeria, A. dominicanus, and Danais Chrysippus 

 respectively by the three forms of the ? is very apparent. It is closest in the 

 first of these, the simulation of Echeria by the smaller specimens of the ordi- 

 nary 9 (Cenea, Stoll) being exact to deception, but is quite near enough to 

 be effectual in the two others, as I have noticed at Knysna and D'Urban 

 respectively. 



^ The late Mr. Hewitson has put on record {Ent. M. Mag., 1S74, p. 113) his receipt from 

 Fernando Po of P. Me7-ope and P. Ilippocoon, captured in copula by Mr. Rogers. 



