Observed in a tour through India and Ceylon. 133 



Colombo, at sea level. 

 March 25th and 26th, 1904. 



Following Mr. Green's advice I went to the Museum and 

 was well rewarded, though too pressed for time to reap all 

 that I might have got by a more deliberate examination of 

 the local collection of butterflies. 



My collecting-grounds at Colombo were the Victoria 

 Park, much exposed to the sea wind ; the old Cinnamon 

 Garden, said to be much worked for insects by the Museum 

 "boys"; and the old Dutch Cemetery. None of those 

 were very promising or very productive. 



However, I saw here for the first time in Ceylon Limnas 

 ch.rysippus; I also netted one Paralitica ceylonica, and 

 missed what I feel certain was a Hcstia, probably jasonia, 

 Westw., which is, I believe, common at Colombo. 



Precis dtlites was common in the Dutch Cemetery but 

 worn, so was P. almana, nearly all of the wet-season form, 

 P. asterie, L. ; one specimen however was dwarfed and 

 another was of the " dry " form with the ocelli rudimentary. 

 P. almana would appear to be the more prevalent species 

 in Ceylon and Southern India, where it replaces P. orithyia, 

 so universal in the North. 



I saw several Delias eucharis in the Victoria Park, and 

 once more noticed their fondness for lofty flowering trees ; 

 those taken were males. In the same place I missed what 

 I think must have been the catilla form of Catopsi'Aa 

 pomona; its congener p>! Pontile was common and I took 

 two males. Once more Telchinia molee was common, but 

 of Papilio aristolochiw I have only one to record. Of 

 Yphthima ceylonica I took two. 



Of the Blues there were several species ; Naca<hiJ><t, 

 norcia, Feld., was very abundant and decidedly gregarious, 

 it positively swarmed in Victoria Park, though good 

 specimens were scarce. Everes aryiades, Butl., var. parhasius, 

 Fab., and Zizcra Icarsandra, Moore, were also both of them 

 abundant. I took also a single worn specimen oiCastalius 

 rosimun, Fab. 



English is more spoken in Ceylon than in most parts of 

 India, but the Cingalese appear more noted for fluency 

 than accuracy; the inner meaning of the following 

 apparently strange request of a lad is easy to fathom : 

 " Master, buy some butterflies, ready-made." On getting 

 back to the hotel from an entomological expedition one of 



