G44 Dr. G. B. Longstaff's Bionomic Notes on Butterjiies. 



towards the sun. For shortness of expression I described 

 a butterfly so placed as " oriented." The butterflies 

 observed were for the most part Satyriues and Nympha- 

 Hnes, and the observations were made in Northern India, 

 Algeria and South Africa, as well as in England. Without 

 pledging myself to any explanation of this habit, I was 

 inclined to attribute it to the diminution of its shadow 

 when the orienting butterfly closed its wings, whereby the 

 insect was rendered very inconspicuous. 



To the number of oiienting butterflies previously given 

 may now be added the Neotropical Nymphalines, Precis 

 lavinia, Cram., Anartia Jatropha^, Linn.,-^. amalthea, Linn., 

 Victoo'ina stelcnes, Linn., and Cystineura dorcas, Fabr. 



The details, taken from my note-book, follow : — 



Constant Spring, Jamaica, 8 January, 1907. Precis lavinia, 

 Cram., f. zonalis, Feld. Not uncommon, but hard to 

 catch ; usually settled on the ground with wings open ; 

 seen to orient and to put its wings up, causing little 

 shadow; also to adjust itself after settling, so as to 

 make the orientation more perfect ; but also seen to 

 face the sun. 



Maraval, Trinidad, 19 December, 1906. Anartia amalthea, 

 Linn. Flies near the ground; settles with wings 

 three-quarters open ; orients, but not always. 



Same place and day. Anartia jatrophx, Linn. Has a 

 ghostly flight ; settles on the ground ; orients. 



Colon, Panama, 28 December, 1906. A. jatrophie. This 

 species orients, but not very regularly. 



Constant Spring, Jamaica, 3 January, 1907. A.jatrophiB. 

 Orients, but not very accurately ; often closes its 

 wings, and is then very cryptic among whitish dead 

 grass. 



Same place, 5 January. A. jatroplKC. The commonest 

 Nymphaline : flies fast, close to the ground, looking 

 very white. Usually settles on the ground or close 

 to it ; does not frequent flowers much ; settles with 

 the wings fully expanded, but often closes them over 

 its back. Orients, but not accurately. Has however 

 been noted with its wings up facing the sun ; also 

 once or twice across the sun. 



Ramble, Jamaica, 24 January, 1907. A.jatrophie. Orients. 



]^Iontego Bay, Jamaica, 2 February, 1907. A. jatrophm, 

 seen twice to settle on the whitish sand of the sea- 



