﻿A NOTE ON COLLECTING IN THE HIMALAYAS. 231 



especially the proximity of the contrasting species, was really 

 brought home to me. 



The following notes are intended to illustrate the two series 

 of home reminders that I experienced in this strange land, the 

 one series reminding me of happy years among the butterflies 

 of Borneo, the other of earlier days after English species ; both 

 reminders of East and West, be it noted, occurring within four 

 hours' walk or in many cases actually together in this Hima- 

 layan station. 



Leaving Kailaua neck at 7 30 one Sunday morning towards 

 the end of May, we followed the road along under the shady side 

 of the hill. Deodars, chestnuts, and an occasional big rhodo- 

 dendron tree formed a pleasant border to the lower side, over 

 which we could look a thousand feet or more below. Insects of 

 any sort were scarce at this time in the morning ; the only 

 species noticed in the first quarter of an hour's walk along the 

 road were the two Pierines, Aporia soracta, three individuals, 

 and the blacker-veined Aporia agathon {phryxe*), and a little 

 white moth. 



As the sun rose the butterfly world soon came more into 

 evidence; after 8 o'clock I could count ten to twelve A. soracta 

 in sight together ; some chestnuts in bloom seemed particularly 

 attractive to them. In Kailana one or two trees literally 

 swarmed with them, and near Mussoorie, thirty miles to the 

 south-east at about the same altitude, I saw hundreds along a 

 short stretch of the path, but that was a fortnight before. 



Two large Lyccenopsis species appeared as the first represen- 

 tatives of the "Blue" family (probably L. vardhana), followed 

 shortly after by a small swift-flying Argynnis, which devoted its 

 energies to the marguerite daisies on the roadside. 



The little white' moths appeared in greater profusion. I 

 think this species must feed on oak, as I had noticed a large 

 number fly out from these trees a few days before. 



About this time I noticed some half-dozen Pierine " casual- 

 ties " in the road ; two of the dark Aporia agatJion and two of 

 the lighter A. soracta were lying dead in the road, and three 

 more of the latter species were fluttering near by in a very feeble 

 manner. Two were very much the worse for wear, but the 

 others appeared to be uninjured, and I imagine their downfall 

 was caused by a very heavy hail-storm the night before ; if the 

 hail- stones had not beaten them down, I suspect they had 

 succumbed to the unusual cold. 



A large brown Pentatomid sitting under the lee of a wall 

 caught my eye and paid the penalty. Near him were two 

 small Chrysomelid beetles on a black pahng ; they were also 

 annexed. 



='' Subspecific names are placed in brackets, thus, after the specific name 

 throughout this paper. 



