212 Mr. a. B. J. Skertcbly on the 



The conclusion I have come to is that the great bulk of 

 the butterflies are conflned to the river- valleys, that they only 

 take occasional journeys into or over the forest, and that 

 clearings, by opening up the forest, give rise to an actual 

 increase in the number of butterflies which prefer sunshine and 

 j)artial shade. 



The majority of butterflies still fly near the ground, possibly 

 all did originally, and certainly in this tropical primeval forest 

 very few, if any, habitually frequent tree-tops. This is 

 instructive, as our forest is very peculiar in one feature — it is 

 never swept by storms. The north-east coast of Borneo 

 enjoys perpetual calm weather, nothing approaching a gale is 

 known, a stiff breeze is a rarity and seldom endures for an 

 hour. Butterflies therefore are not debarred from the forest- 

 top by heavy weather; they voluntarily avoid it. 



We have many flowering creepers which ascend the tree- 

 trunks, and most of our orchids live high up on the trees ; yet 

 as a rule they do not attract butterflies, though bees swarm 

 over them. This seems to point, as many other facts do, to 

 butterflies being still as much terrestrial as aerial creatures. 



III. Habits of ijarticular Species. 



There is an infinite variety in the general habits of butter- 

 flies ; but as a special paper is in preparation on their flight, 

 I will here only give a few particulars on other points. 



Most butterflies in settling do so more or less deliberately ; 

 they fly direct to the object, slow down their speed, pitch 

 quietly, and adjust their wings slowly. But the leaf-mimickers, 

 Y\kG Amatliusia, T/iaumantisy Discophora^ Precis ^ and Kalliina^ 

 behave quite difi'erently ; they fly rapidly along, as if late for 

 an appointment, suddenly pitch, close their wings, and become 

 leaves. It is generally done so rapidly that the insect seems 

 to vanish. Amathusia phichppus, a crepuscular species, has 

 been frequently observed on a forest-path over which depend 

 many creepers. It hurries along, suddenly pitches, always 

 head downwards, and is a dead leaf. Many leaf-butterflies 

 have escaped our nets because, though we have carefully 

 marked them down, we have hesitated too long as to which 

 leaf to catch. 



It may here be remarked that the degree of verisimilitude 

 as observed in the cabinet has no relation to the real powers 

 of concealment. KaUimas are the most perfect leaf-butterflies ; 

 but they are not really mt)re difficult to detect than the apj^a- 

 rently much less leaf- like Zeujcidias or Amat/iusias. So 



