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II Notes on some Butterflies taken in Jamaica. By G. 

 B. LoNGSTAFF. M.D.. F.R.C.P., F.E.S. 



[Read November 6, 1907.] 



The island of Jamaica is 144 miles long by 49 miles wide, 

 and comprises an area of 4207 square miles, so that it is 

 about equal to the counties of Devon and Somerset taken 

 together. It lies well within the tropics, being between 

 the latitudes 17° 45' and 18° 35' N. 



Rather more than half the total area of the island is 

 below the 1000 feet contour line, but some 60 square miles 

 have an altitude of 4000 feet and upwards, the highest 

 point reached by the Blue Mountains being 7860 feet. 



My most remote points were separated by 120 miles of 

 longitude, and 40 miles of latitude, but though I spent 

 three weeks at an elevation of 2000 feet and upwards my 

 highest point was but 2900 feet. 



As regards geological formations, I collected upon almost 

 all those of which the island is made up, with one im- 

 portant exception— I did not explore the Blue Mountains, 

 indeed there seemed to be little to induce one to do so at 

 that time of the year. 



My remarks naturally enough apply to the places that I 

 have visited, and to the times of my visits,, limitations 

 which should not be forgotten. My collecting was con- 

 fined to ten weeks (Dec. 31— March 8) of the dry season, 

 the tropical winter. However, the general aspect of the 

 country towards the end of the dry season does not sug- 

 gest to the Enghsh visitor either winter or early spring, 

 but rather a fine, hot, late autumn, with burnt-up, 

 gone-to-seed herbage and falling leaves. The quiet and 

 solitude of the woods was surprising, so that the falhng 

 of a big leaf, such as are common in the tropics, would 

 make clatter enough upon the path to give one a start. 

 Often where trees and varied undergrowth little disturbed 

 by cultivation suggested a profusion of insects, almost none 

 were found. Not only were butterflies scarce, but beetles, 

 bees, wasps, and especially flies. Tliere is a note in my 

 diary for Febr. 16th : " Christiana. Caught a wasp, the 

 first I had seen since Constant Spring" (Jan. 14). During 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1908. — PART I. (MAY) 



