Ixvi Lloyd's natural history. 



usually of dark colour, love to haunt these dark and dripping 

 nooks. Again, as the most beautiful and vigorous tropical 

 vegetation is developed where the fiery heat of the sun is com- 

 bined with great dampness, so do the largest and most brilliant 

 butterflies delight to frequent such places, where they rejoice 

 in the sunshine, and also find the dampness which they so 

 much need. It is worth mentioning that among these last 

 Butterflies this is not due, as in other insects, to the peculiarity 

 of their habits and surroundings, but the explanation is to be 

 found either in the food of the perfect insect, or in its care for 

 its offspring ; so that it seems as if the nature of the larvre 

 which live on plants growing in warm and damp places, and in 

 which the peculiarity of the nourishment does not seem to be 

 without influence, also remains with the perfect insect, although 

 it is no longer useful to it. 



" At the same waterfall of Maros I witnessed another pro- 

 ceeding among Butterflies, which I think worth mentioning. 

 It is known that male Butterflies, like most other animals, fight 

 with each other from jealousy ; but in other respects these in- 

 sects are to be considered, as far as I know, very peaceable, 

 and by no means quarrelsome creatures. I was, therefore, 

 much astonished to observe the following incident : Around 

 and over the blossoms of a flowering shrub flew several Butter- 

 flies, Precis iphita, Linn., and some Pieridcc, when a Butter- 

 fly of gigantic size in comparison with them {Ornithoptera remits^ 

 Cramer) came flying apparently with the object of sharing their 

 repast. Whether the others were undesirous of the company 

 of a guest among them whose appetite would be enormous, or 

 not, it is certain that I saw them attack the O. remus, drive it 

 away, and pursue it for a short distance, till it was evident that 

 it had really taken to flight, when they returned to their 

 flowers. I have often seen Swallows and other small birds 

 drive away and pursue birds of prey which showed themselves 



