( xcv ) 



tin- colinir-i of Volucella inanis, L., due to the supposition — 

 iu those days, before its habit, were fully known — that its 

 appearance protected it from the wrath of the wasps in whose 

 nests it was supposed to be parasitic' 1 . I understand that 

 now it is known to be beneficial in the nest rather than other- 

 wise, the larva feeding- on debris. But surely the modern 

 view is not that Volucella needs to be protected against the 

 wasp, but against birds that fear the wasp. |8ee Trans. Ent. 

 So,. Loud., 1904, pp. 661-665.] 



" I had the rottenest, dullest Xmas I've ever had. There 

 was nothing to read of any kind. I have said before what a 

 rotten place this is for butterflies, and no Xmas fare, indeed 

 even rations very poor. We have now no jam, sugar, lamp- 

 oil (but candles for the present), or soap issuable ! No vege- 

 tables for weeks ! However, one can get eggs and mangoes 

 abundantly, and milk, and I have some porridge and syrup 

 which helps out. It's funny what one can, live on day after 

 day the same. Breakfast is the best meal — porridge with 

 syrup and milk, bacon and eggs, bread and jam (just finishing 

 now). Bread, soup, meat and mangoes form other meals. 

 Luckily I have had some butter, which helps, but it is nearly 

 finished now ! 



" We are very isolated — three days from Tabora (where 

 one cannot get anything) and three weeks from Muanza. 

 An occasional motor-car, which usually breaks down en route 

 to Muanza, brings up the belated mails. A parcel of ' goodies ' 

 which my mother sent lor mid-October in August is still 

 trying to get to me ! Well, that's another long grouse ! 



" Jan. 14, 1917. Ndala. 

 " I am taking the opportunity of a friend going back to 

 Muanza and Entebbe (from here — Ndala, where I still am— 

 33° 15' E. and 4° 45' S.) to give him a box of ' dudus ' for 

 Wiggins to post for me at Entebbe. You may label them 

 Ndala (for it appears on the map, being a Mission Station), 

 with latitude and longitude as above. A few I got recently 

 on a very enjoyable safari (except for G. morsitans !) in the 

 neighbourhood. It was quite a joy ride, and I had no respon- 



