( Ix ) 



•were given an outline of particular directions in which they 

 could do good work by careful investigation, they would be 

 only too glad to take the matter up, feeling that by making 

 observations for a specific purpose they would be adding more 

 to scientific knowledge than they would by taking a mass of 

 notes on miscellaneous subjects without any definite purpose. 

 With this object in view, I have asked some of my most 

 careful collectors for information on the point in question, 

 with the suggestion that they should make special observations 

 and communicate their notes to me from time to time. 



" I stayed for some months at a place on the west coast of 

 Colombia where butterflies were extremely plentiful, and 

 the common Callidryas and Pcqnlios frequented the damp spots 

 by hundreds. A telegraph line ran along this road, on which 

 were usually perched a number of birds, especially of the 

 larger Tyrant Birds, such as T>jrannus melancholicus. It was 

 a constant occurrence to see the birds leave their perch and 

 dart at, and occasionally capture one of the butterflies. The 

 Pierines seemed to be the most frequently attacked, but this 

 may have been merely due to the fact that being so plentiful, 

 of conspicuous colour and size, and frequenting a comparatively 

 open place as was the road in question, instances of attacks on 

 specimens belonging to this family forced themselves on the 

 casual observer to a far greater extent than raids on individuals 

 of smaller and less brightly coloured groups which did not 

 come so boldly into the open. 



" I often receive specimens of butterflies with pieces taken 

 out of the wings, obviously by the attacks of birds, inasmuch 

 as the specimens are otherwise in perfectly fresh condition, 

 and do not show that worn and ragged appearance which would 

 be the case were the damage due to age. 



" In South America, at all events, butterflies are also much 

 subject to the attacks of lizards. That part of the Avorld is 

 extremely rich in these reptiles, both terrestrial and arboreal. 

 In the locality in Colombia above referred to, the river Dagua 

 runs parallel to the road, and on its sandy shores large groups 

 of butterflies used to settle in the damper spots. Under 

 some small bushes between the road aud the river shore there 

 lurked a number of young iguanas and other lizards, which 



