Dr. G. B. Longstaff's Bionomic Notes on Butterjlies. ^^Q 



again at Haragama, Ceylon, 20 January, 1908. Soon after 

 mid-day large numbers of the ^ were seen flying down the 

 bed of the stream, sometimes in ones and twos, biit often 

 3, 4 or 5 together in strings. On the same day clusters of 

 a score or more were seen drinking at wet sand ; when 

 disturbed they would quickly come back to the favoured 

 spots, as many as 5 to 7 together, in strings, all conforming 

 to the movements of their leader like wild geese. 



Melanitis leda, Linn., is an insect with which I have 

 been unfortunate, never having come across it in any 

 numbers. At the beginning of February 1908, I twice 

 witnessed its evening flight — at about 6"30 p.m. when it 

 was nearly dark. My net-stick consists of two lower joints 

 of a salmon-rod ; on the occasion referred to the butt-joint, 

 which is partly covered with cork, was lying near me on 

 the ground. The butterfly flew in jerks, making short 

 circuits and returning again and again to settle on my 

 hat, my net, or the net-stick on the ground. It struck me 

 at the time that it might probably be guided by the sense 

 of smell, especially as it selected the part of my net-stick 

 that was most handled. Yet it is quite possible that the 

 butterfly was attracted by my white tropical clothing, and 

 by the light colour of the cork, which was fairly con- 

 spicuous in the increasing gloom under the palms. One 

 evening when strolling in the hotel garden alone in search 

 of leda a leaf of a coco-nut palm fell close to me with 

 a positive crash ; when one considers that it measured 

 between 11 and 12 feet long it can be understood that I 

 was not a little startled. 



The Ceylon Papilios would appear to be more easily 

 netted in the afternoon than in the morning ; this is 

 especially the case with Omitlio^t&ra darsius, Gray, and 

 P. parinda, Moore. 



P. de7nole7is, Linn., is swift of flight ; so is P. agamemnon, 

 Linn., which has a darting movement. The last-named is 

 quite an inconspicuous butterfly whether on the wing or 

 at rest, affording a marked contrast to the glorious P. crino, 

 Fabr., which is almost startling in its brilliance. 

 , The flight of P. hector, Linn., is not especially swift, but 

 is marked by the straightness of its course, seeming to 

 keep on one level. Its black, white and scarlet colouring 

 is very obvious in flight, and the strong contrast of colours 

 seems to make the movement of its wings more obvious 

 and more rapid m appearance. 



