Butterflies of Mauritius and Bourbon. 453 
abundant; VIII, scarce; [IX—XII, abundant. It is not a 
variable insect. 
Parnara marchalli, Boisd. 
23. Pamphila Marchallz, Boisd. 
Known in Mauritius, but erroneously, as Hesperia poutiert, 
a Madagascan species. It is usually very common, and 
is the most “confidential” skipper of my acquaintance; I 
have not infrequently captured it in my fingers when 
basking in the sun. The larva feeds on sugar-cane. Flies 
I-V, common; VI-VIII, scarce; I[X—XII, common. It 
has not been recorded from Bourbon. 
A long series shows considerable variation on the fore 
wing, the spots, though never more than two in number, 
are frequently reduced to mere points and in some 
specimens are completely absent, the entire wing being 
an uniform yellowish brown, In the female the spots are 
larger and altogether more pronounced. 
Note.—Precis rhadama. My remark as to the date of 
its iMtroduction into Bourbon being later than into 
Mauritius must be modified or withdrawn. Guenée, in 
Maillard, “ Notes sur Vile de la Réunion 1863,” states that 
it was introduced “about twelve years previously,” 7.¢. 
about 1851. 
Catopsilia florella—When I wrote that the different 
markings on this larva were not indicative of the sex of 
the future butterfly, 1 was unaware of Vinson’s different 
conclusion quoted by Guenée in the above work. Vinson 
says that all the caterpillars which produce the yellow 
variety have the “first segment of the neck” entirely 
black, while the larvee without the black collars produce 
the white butterflies. Guenée adds, “this curious observ- 
ation ought to be repeated.” I do not know whether in 
this long interval of nearly fifty years any one has carried 
out Guende’s suggestion, but I append my results which 
show that Vinson’s opinion was founded in error—not an 
error due to carelessness but to a curious chance. 
Two pup from larve with “black collars” (pupated 
22 I, emerged 3 IL) were both males, of course white. 
Two pup from larvee without “black collars” (pupated 
28 I, emerged 4 IT) were one male, one yellow female. 
