400 Mr. C. O. Farqu®arson’s Five Years’ Observations 
closely allied to Coleus, the recognised food-plant of Precis, 
so it is not surprising that Mr. W. A. Lamborn should have 
found the larvae of P. octavia upon it (p. 399). 
It is in a way rather unlucky that I should have to go 
home, but it will be about a month before the next boat 
goes, and | may have some luck in the interval. Anyhow, 
if the wretched Boche doesn’t get me it will be a nice problem 
to come back to, and if the aforesaid Boche does get me, 
perhaps Lamborn will supply the missing link, | think 
the fact of the oviposition being on the flowers is significant. 
Camponotus maculatus is a notorious nuisance in sugar 
cases. They are always crawling about flowers, and I 
think it likely that the food of the phasma larvae in the 
Camponotus nest must be regurgitated nectar. Of course 
they might turn carnivorous at the next stage, but I’ve 
littie doubt that, given a chance, I ought to be able to clear 
it allup. It is only a matter of time. 
Aug. 25, 1918.—I told you about finding the Lycaenid 
(possibly Catochrysops) ovipositing on a Labiate plant. 
I now have a lot of young larvae, but they will not be 
mature before I sail. However, I am to ask Dr. Connal to 
follow up their life-history, if it can be followed. In trying 
to find fresh food for the larvae I have had difficulty in 
finding plants without tiny larvae already feeding on them, 
and the butterfly, whatever it is, is busy all over some of 
our more weedy plots. I have of course but a somewhat 
dim recollection of phasma, and more than probably I am 
on another butterfly altogether, for two larvae have 
pupated! So far I have only seen one type of butterfly 
(those sent to you) ovipositing, but somehow the pupae 
seem to be too small for that type. _I have been able to 
provide abundant ‘“ chop” for the larvae, and the pupae 
cannot be small on that account. But the larvae are very 
variable in colour. If the inflorescence on which they feed 
is rather young and predominantly green, the larvae are 
green and red. If the inflorescence is predominantly 
reddish- -purple, with mature, fully opened flowers, the 
larvae are reddish-pink, and when very young, extremely 
difficult to pick out among the tiny hairy flower-stalks 
which they closely resemble. Those that pupated were 
mostly green, with hints of red round the margin, but 
they ““ went up” on a green leaf. The pupae are distinctly 
bristly too, I wish I could have stayed another month, 
but it is no use trying to get it. They'd think I was funking 
