1084 THE BUTTERFLIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



have already lieen given under Callidryas and otliers will be given, to 

 which we may add the following, drawn from miscellaneous sources, first 

 regarding the Khodoceridi, next the Pieridi. 



Swainson says that Lindley saw in Brazil, in March 1803, "an immense 

 flight of white and yellow butterflies . . . which continued to pass for many 

 days successively" in a southeasterly direction. Werneburg, quoting from 

 Das Ausland ( 1872, 68) , says that in Venezuela one year in June and July 

 a throng of different species of Callidryas moved in a northerly direction 

 out to sea for many d.ays together between 11 A. M. and 2 v. M. 



Distant gives a similar account of the related Old World species of Ca- 

 topsilia. A pseudonymous writer, he says, mentions how they 



are sometimes seized with a mania for migrating to tlie far West. . . . I have stood near 

 one of the parade-grounds at Poona, and watclied tliem, with scarce a pause to rest 

 their wings or sip a flower, from eight or nine o'cloclv until the afternoon, as far as 

 eye could reach, the host kept streaming past, like the fugitive Gauls after one of 

 Caesar's great battles. (Rhop. Mai., 286.) 



And Mackwood, quoted by the same writer, says of C. catilla : — 



In the flights along the sea-coast, beginning generally in November, this species of 

 Catopsilia forms about a third of the number, always travelling to the north ; the 

 flights lasting for days, thousands of them passing in an hour." (Rhop. Mai., 298.) 



Werneburg lecites the case of a species of Terias found flying over the 

 sea in myriads near South Africa at the end of January. But a more de- 

 tailed and interesting note is that by Rev. ^Ir. Briggs quoted by Distant 

 (Rhop. Mai., 290) of Delias dione. He speaks of it, says Distant, 



as the ■'common coasting butterfly," and describes it as being found sometimes in an 

 "apparently endless stream" all following one direction, and numbering twenty to 

 thirty in sight per minute from any one point, but forming a belt several miles broad, 

 extending far inland from the coast, and from morning till night continuing to pass 

 any fixed point for a fortnight or more. "It seems seldom to feed or alight during 

 these migrations, except at night or in early morning, when with dawn it resumes its 

 flight. . . . Now and then it is entangled in a sort of cul de sac, formed by thick clumps 

 of fruit trees, or the high walls of houses, against which it will dash itself repeatedly 

 and recklessly, willing to persevere until death. This is especially apt to be the case 

 when a strong head wind is blowing against it." (Rhop. Mai., 290.) 



Passing now to the Pieridi, we cannot do better than quote the following 



passage by Thwaites : — 



At certain times of tlie year immense hosts of these butterflies, mostly of a white 

 colour or nearly white, may be observed during the hottest part of the day rushing in 

 an impetuous flight across the country, driven by some irresistible Instinctive impulse, 

 and impatient of any obstruction in their headlong course ; even ascending hills of 

 6000 feet in elevation, and descending again; striking like animated snow-flakes 

 against any one meeting them in their course and then, after passing the obstruction, 

 making on with the same ))ertinacity as before, towards where they are hurrying to, 

 until the failure of sunshine arrests their progress for the day ; to be continued 

 probably on succeeding days until tlie wondrous furor has exhausted itself. By the 

 superstitious natives these marvellous movements of white butterflies are attributed 

 to a desire on the part of the insects to do homage to tlie footstep of Buddha on 

 Adam's Peak, moved, as the native himself is to do so at certain times of the year. 



