( Ixxii ) 



had, I believe, fluttered down, paired, from an overhanging 

 tree, and I only saw them just as they were reaching some 

 grass, on which they rested. I put the net over them, and 

 removed them from the grass into the box. When I closed 

 them up they were still paired. I did not open the box until 

 I reached home, an hour or two later, and then I found they 

 had separated. I put the female in a cage with some food- 

 plant, and when I looked at her perhaps a couple of hours 

 after (about 5 p.m.) I found she had commenced laying. It 

 struck me at the time I took the parents, that they had been 

 disturbed on the tree, as they seemed to drop, rather than fly 

 down, and there only appeared to be sufficient movement of 

 the wings to ensure a safe landing. I consider the pairing 

 was quite definite and effective, but I was rather surprised 

 that the eggs should be laid so soon after. It is a fact which, 

 as it seems to me, lends colour to your suggestion that the ova 

 may be the result of a previous pairing, if such a thing occurs." 



"Feb. 7, 1914. 



" The female commenced to lay on the day of pairing, 

 Dec. 28, 1913, and continued until Jan. 3, when I killed her, 

 as the young larvae were coming out, and the parent was 

 getting badly battered. Some of the young larvae escaped, as 

 some eggs were laid on the perforated cylinder. Considering 

 this, and the fact that the parent was killed before the whole 

 batch was laid, I think the brood might have totalled nearly 

 300. There were 205 young larvae (in first skin), and I have 

 sent you the whole family with the following omissions : One 

 each male and female wahlbergi, one each male and female 

 mima kept for breeding purposes, and one female each wahl- 

 bergi and 7nima accidentally crushed before wings were ex- 

 panded. These six emerged Feb. 2. 



" The first larva pupated Jan. 21, the larval state thus 

 lasting 18 days, and it was 10 days in pupa. The food-plant 

 has been identified by Mr. Medley Wood as Fleunja capensis. 



" Emergence took place between the hours of 7 a.m. and 

 5 p.m. : the majority came out between noon and 3 o'clock. 

 The butterflies always rested in a vertical position at night; 

 head downwards. [March 24, 1914.] 



