OUR >) aA ee 
the Relative Edibility of Insects. 47 
pterous appearance, and from the careful way M. 
handled it at first, I think he was of the same opinion.) 
Obs. 543. Sp. 262.—Zygaenid, Newrosymploca xan- 
thosoma: M. pulled the wings off this moth, put the 
abdomen in his mouth, rolled it about, and pulled it 
out again. 
Obs. 544. Sp. 264.—Pierid, Eronia cleodora: a large 
white butterfly with broad, irregular, black border; 
on the under-surface the wings in position of complete 
rest extraordinarily resemble a yellowish half-dead leaf. 
At rest, therefore, this butterfly is extremely procryptic, 
and I expected it to be eagerly eaten. I offered one 
to M., holding it gently by the body in my fingers, 
so that he could see it well. He leapt up and seized 
it, but instead of putting it straight into his mouth 
he sat looking at it for a long while, tasted it, pulled 
it about, and ate parts of it only, with doubt and 
much ‘ mouthing.” 
(Note-—This butterfly makes the most of its pro- 
cryptic under-surface by selecting for its sleeping-place 
some leaf, half dead, of the yellowish-green variegated 
colour with which the under-surface of the wings so 
well harmonises. In one locality where I collected 
the butterfly was not at all abundant, yet one evening, 
when passing a tall herb which had only a few big 
leaves, one of which was wilted, no less than three 
E. cleodora suddenly flew out, to my amazement, as I 
had no idea they were there. I watched one deliber- 
ately return and hang from the under-side of the 
wilted leaf, with which its colours so well harmonised. 
(‘‘ Essays on Evolution,” pp. 283, 301.) 
The fact that such an undoubtedly procryptic under- 
side is not associated with a greater degree of edibility 
is interesting. Seeing that this butterfly is so unusually 
procryptic, and that its close ally Catopsilia, Obs. 360 
and 577, Sp. 174, is shown to be also somewhat 
distasteful, that quality is perhaps associated. with 
the particular group to which cleodora belongs, and it 
may be an exception among its relations in being 
markedly procryptic.) 
Obs. 545. Sp. 212,—Teracolus eris Klug.: M. seized 
this Pierine butterfly quickly, and ate it, but not with 
great relish, A white species with broad black bar 
on f.w. and a bistre patch at the tip. 
