Ivi 



ill the palish of St. Ann, near tlie middle of the northern half of the island. 

 Mr. Mais has furnished a graphic account of his first personal acquaintance 

 with the butterfly. After alluding to a visit, about a year before, from 

 Mr. Carter, a naturalist now residing in Dominica, who showed him the 

 first P. Huiiwrus he had ever seen, he thus writes under date of July 21st, 

 1879: — 



" My sons had caught Hoinents when they were out without me. 

 I longed to see one on the wing, and it was only three weeks ago that 

 I was gratified. One morning, my son being a little behind me, in an 

 open track through the woods, 1 saw, as I thought, a large leaf falling 

 slowly from a high tree. [This proved to be a specimen of the butterfly, 

 but the writer having no net it was lost.] =:= ■■' ■■■• * =:= Bath (in the 

 parish of St. Thomas, near the east extremity of the island) was. believed 

 to be the only habitat of the species. Yet even there Mr. Carter found 

 that nobody had ever seen it, or could recognise it when a correct drawing 

 was exhibited. In ten days he caught twenty specimens within half an 

 hour's walk of his lodging at Bath." 



Mr. Herbert A. Mais supplemented his father's account with some 

 further particulars: — "The insect was first seen by us near Moneague, 

 St. Ann, in July, 1878, and our first capture was in the following September. 

 We have never seen it except near the dense woods, whence it emerges into 

 the open grounds near to feed on the wild sage (various species of Salvia 

 and Lantana), which plant is plentiful, and Homerus, as well as Pelaus and 

 other kinds, seems fond of it. We have captured several while sucking the 

 blossoms of the sage, and our first specimen was taken whilst contending 

 with Pelaus for possession of these attractive flowers. It flies very low 

 when in search of food, but if at all alarmed soars up above the tops of the 

 highest trees, and disappears in the deepest parts of the woods. One or two 

 have been seen to come down from the high woods, and, alighting on the 

 back of a leaf of some low tree, fold up their wings, and thus have been 

 easily secured." 



" So far as we can ascertain, this magnificent Pajnlio ranges from 900 

 to 2000 feet above the sea-level, and perhaps even higher. In this district 

 it is far from common. =:= * -:- Though it is now a year since we noticed 

 the first specimen, not more than sixteen have been seen, of which we 

 secured seven. It is difficult to obtain an uninjured specimen, for, being 

 so large and conspicuous, they are easily seen, and are pursued by birds. 

 Out of the seven captured only one was quite perfect." 



Mr. Gosse's correspondents subsequently heard that the butterfly was 

 not unknown in the Pedro District, about twelve miles farther west. 

 Mr. H. A. Mais paid a visit thither in August last, and found it in sensibly 

 increased numbers, capturing five in a few days. One of these specimens, 

 when caught, appeared at first so injured as to be worthless; but its captor, 



