252 



Marvels of Insect Life. 



There are many species of these leaf-butteriiies, and they are not entirely 

 confined to the genus kahima. This genus has representatives in Tropical Africa, 

 Continental India and the neighbouring islands, ?nd throughout Malaya. Buxton's 

 leaf-butterfiy 1 is a fine example of the group, its closed wings providing a " leaf " 

 three inches long, blotched as though in decay, and with a well-defined " midrib." 



The upper side is dark purple-bruwn 

 in ground-colour, suffused with blue, 

 vvhicli extends from a large patch of 

 that colour near the body. The tip of 

 the fore-wings is black, and, just below, 

 the wing is crossed by a broad band of 

 dull scarlet. 



Dr. A. R. Wallace has given his 

 experience of another species ^ he met 

 with in Sumatra, which goes to show 

 that this mimicry of leaves is of a 

 character to impose not onlv upon the 

 imdiscerning, and not due to the skilful 

 manipulation of museum curators. Here 

 we have a hardened naturalist used to 

 seizing upon minute points of difference, 

 and so not easily imposed upon bv 

 Nature. Yet he admits to having been 

 constantly deceived. He says : " This 

 species was not uncommon in drv woods 

 and thickets, and I often endeavoured 

 to capture it without success ; for after 

 flying for a short distance, it would 

 enter a bush among dry or dead leaves, 

 and however carefully 1 crept up to the 

 spot, I could never see it till it would 

 suddenly start out again, and then dis- 

 appear in a similar place. At length 

 I was fortunate enough to see the exact 

 s])ot where the butterfly settled ; and 

 though 1 lost sight of it for some time. 

 I at length discovered that it was right 

 before my eyes, but that in its position 

 of repose it so closely rcsembK\I a drad 

 leaf attached to a twig as almost cer- 

 tainly to deceive the eve even when 

 gazing full upon it. I captured several specimens on the wing, antl was able fully 

 to understand the way in which this wonderful resemblance is produced. 



" The end of the up})er wings terminates in r, fine point, just as the leaves of 

 many troi)ical shrubs and trees are })()intcd, wliilc the hiwer wings are somewhat 



' KalliiiKi l>uxtoin. - K. paralckta. 



Photo by] \H. Hostin. 



Indian Leaf-Butterfly. 



The leaf-buttorfly, usually shown with its vviti,?s closed, when 

 alone thore is any resemblance to a leaf, is here seen with its wings 

 expanded as in flight. As these are brightly marked with purple 

 and orpiige, the flying butterfly is very conspicuous and a mark 

 for birds. By alighting in a bush and closing its wings so as to 

 show the dead -leaf-like under side, it at once eludes pursuit and 

 recognition. 



