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XIV. Butterfly Migrations in British Guiana.'^ By L. D. 

 Cleare, Jnr., F.E.S., Biological Division, Dept. 

 Science & Agric, British Guiana. 



[Read November 3rd, 1920.] 



Migrations of butterflies occur from time to time in British 

 Guiana, and many of the inhabitants can recollect having 

 seen such phenomena, yet in most cases neither year, 

 month, nor any other useful data can be supphed. Occasion- 

 ally naturahsts have recorded migrations when observed 

 by themselves, but of records of this kind there are but few. 

 In the Transactions of the Entomological Society for 1917 

 Mr. C. B. Wilhams, in a paper entitled " Some Notes on 

 Butterfly Migrations in British Guiana," describes two such 

 migrations observed by himself whilst on a visit to the 

 colony in 1916 ; besides these Mr. Wilhams gives a number 

 of observations supphed by inhabitants on other migrations, 

 as well as some previously pubhshed accounts — ^in all 

 sixteen migrations are recorded. 



" It is difficult," says Mr. Wilhams, " even from the 

 above records to get any indication of what is happening. 

 On the real problem, why the migration takes place, there 

 is still no hght, and many more correlated observations 

 must be made before there can be any hope of solving it." 

 Mr. Wilhams adds, " British Guiana would seem to be a 

 promising field for such investigations, but they must 

 be extended over a series of years, with a number of com- 

 petent observers stationed over the country." \, 



As so httle is known about these migrations, it seems 

 advisable to record all observations until we can at least 

 form some theory about them. It is with this object 

 in view, as well as to form a continuation to Mr. Wilhams' 

 paper, that the following observations are offered.- 



It has recently been my good fortune to witness one of 

 these migrations at Georgetown, and it is here proposed to 

 give the details connected with it, together with a number 

 of other observations, collected from reliable sources, on 



* Published by permission of the Director of Science and 

 Agriculture, British Guiana. 

 TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1920. — PARTS III, IV, V. (APR. '21) 



