Observed in a tour through India and Ceylon. 137 



(1) The rapcV scent. Dr. Dixey and I have observed a 

 slight scent in Ganoris rapss well compared by Mr. Selwyn 

 linage to that of sweet-briar, though the comparison is not 

 exact. Curiously enough I have been able to prove to my 

 own complete satisfaction the existence of the same scent, 

 or one scarcely distinguishable therefrom, in several 

 Pierines, viz. Delias ciccharis, Ganoris canidia, Suphina 

 nerissa, Catophaga panlina, and Belenois mesentivct. 



I think it is confined to the male sex, but cannot speak 

 very positively. 



(2) The brassic/z scent. This is fainter than the pre- 

 ceding; 1 compare it to violet-powder. It is confined to 

 the male. This scent I did not find in any Indian 

 butterfly. 



(3) The napi scent. Far the strongest, and quite 

 unmistakable. It is by common consent compared to 

 lemon-verbena, but it is not identical therewith. This I 

 did not meet with in India, but it was unmistakable in 

 the male of the Japanese Ganoris melete, Men. [My 

 specimens were of what Leech calls the Japanese spring 

 form = G. aglaope, Motchulsky, = G. megamera, Butl.] 

 It proved equally distinct in the male of G. oleracea, Harr., 

 a North American form of naj>i. 



That three species of one genus have as many distinct 

 scents, but that one of these extends to members of several 

 widely-separated genera is very remarkable, and to me at 

 least totally unexpected. I cannot help thinking that 

 when these scents have been more studied and are better 

 understood they may prove of great value in the solution 

 of phylogenetic questions. 



(4) Several Danaids of different genera have a strong and 

 distinct odour of a disagreeable character, very suggestive 

 of acetylene. That it is possessed by the males I am 

 certain, but cannot say whether it is confined to that sex. 

 The species are Crastia core, C. asela, C. amymone (at 

 Macao), Isamict midamus (at Hong Kong), Parantica 

 ceylonica, and Chittira famata. A single specimen of 

 Pachmma, hollari had a somewhat similar odour. In 

 several cases (in at least three of the above), the scent 

 was so strong as to be distinctly perceptible when the 

 butterfly was fluttering in the net (as it is indeed in the 

 case of Ganoris napi). 



(5) Limnas chrysippus has a faint unpleasant odour like 

 cockroaches, or musk-rats. I suspected it to come from 



