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VII. Notes on the Butterflies of Mauritius. 
By Roxanp Trimen, 
[Read 3rd September, 1866. ] 
Havine during last year paid a brief visit to Mauritius, I am 
enabled to lay before the Entomological Society a few Notes on 
the Rhopalocera of that island, so interesting in its relation and 
propinquity to Madagascar. My stay in the island was very 
short, being confined to the first three weeks of July ; but, through 
the kindness of many residents, I enjoyed such good opportunities 
of collecting, that very few of the insular butterflies escaped my 
notice. 
Boisduval, in his “ Faune Entomologique de Madagascar, 
Bourbon, et Maurice,” published in 1833, enumerates 20 species 
of Rhopalocera as inhabitants of Mauritius, or, including his 
Thymele (Ismene) Ramanatek, a doubtful native, 21 species. Of 
these I met with 16, and was presented with 3 others by Mr. 
Caldwell and Mr. Colville Barclay. Since my return to the Cape, 
Lady Barkly has sent me another species; so that but one of 
Boisduval’s list is wanting to my collection, and that is the doubt- 
ful Mauritian insect just named. 
In addition to the above I captured 4 species not known to 
Boisduval as Mauritian, and was presented with another by Mr. 
Barclay. These 5 insects, new to the Mauritius catalogue, are 
distinguished by an asterisk *, while those species which I did 
not myself capture, but which are included in Boisduval’s enu- 
meration, are marked thus +. 
1. Papilio Phorbanta, Linn. 
This beautiful Papilio is common in Mauritius, and was the 
first butterfly that I saw in the gardens about Port Louis. I met 
with it also at Pamplemousses, Réduit, Riversdale, Rivicre du 
Rempart, and Vakoa. Its flight (that of the g at least) is strong 
and rapid, even more so than that of its African ally, P. Nireus, 
though I did not see it soar to the height the latter commonly 
reaches. When on the wing the bright green-blue patches are 
conspicuous, causing the butterfly to resemble a large Diadema of 
the Bolina group. Inthe Botanic Gardens at Pamplemousses I 
