Butterflies of Mauritius and Bourbon. 441 
abundant than otherwise. JI attribute its disappearance to 
the depredationsof the Indian Mynah* (Aeridotheres tristis), 
which was introduced some hundred years ago for the 
purpose of keeping in check the field-crickets and other 
insects which were destroying the canes. The bird is 
protected and is consequently over-abundant, flying in 
small flocks of twenty to thirty all over the country, and 
making themselves a general nuisance. The bird was 
also brought into Bourbon, but fortunately for S. awgustina 
so frequently finds its way into the cooking-pots of the 
natives, that the butterfly survives though in greatly 
diminished numbers. In Madagascar where the ‘“ Mynah” 
is unknown, S. augustina is not uncommon. Man therefore 
Salamis augustina; the specimen in the Port Louis Museum. 
is responsible for the extinction of the butterfly. The 
Port Louis specimen came from the collection of the late 
M. Réynard, who some five-and-twenty years ago bred 
some half dozen specimens from larvee found in his garden 
on Trianon estate in the Moka district. At his death 
they came into the possession of the Port Louis Museum 
authorities, but only the one specimen could be preserved, 
the remainder being in fragments. In August 1895 Dr. 
Bolton captured two within a few minutes of each other, 
at Souillac on the east coast. He tells me that he had no 
difficulty in catching them, as they were hovering over 
some vanilla plants. Unfortunately during his absence in 
England his collection became mouldy, and offending the 
esthetic tastes of his relations was cast into the dust-heap. 
This is the last capture I have been able to ascertain. I 
* By destroying the larve. 
