198 A NATURALIST IN HIMALAYA 



hovering before a flower. At intervals he ceases, 

 sinks down to the female, strokes her with his antennae 

 and then rises again to recommence his whirling flight 

 in ever swifter circles. The common brimstone 

 butterfly, Gonepteryx rhamni, another very conspicuous 

 and attractive species, is equally eager at its court- 

 ship. In amorous circles the male hovers round the 

 female and strokes her at intervals with his wings. It 

 may be worth mentioning that both these butterflies, 

 in which the sexual enthusiasm was specially intense, 

 were very conspicuous and brightly coloured ; in both 

 the numbers of the males predominated over the 

 females, and in both the male was the more brilliantly 

 coloured of the two. 



The subject of protective coloration is perhaps 

 hardly worth discussion, since so many examples of the 

 great principle have been collected in every part of the 

 world. But I feel inclined to mention a few instances 

 which specially attracted me in connection with the 

 Lepidoptera. 



A peculiar butterfly, Nytha parisatis, one of that 

 large family, the Nymphalidce, was common at 4000 

 feet. It is a dark brown species with a light bluish 

 margin along the termen of the wings. The under 

 surface is of a paler hue, streaked with white and 

 ornamented with black ocelli. Now this butterfly 

 haunts the hills of slate. It is in the habit of settling 

 on the bare rock, usually in dark crevices or beneath 

 overhanging ledges, where its brown wings harmonize 

 well with the similarly coloured slates. On ascending 

 to 6000 and 7000 feet we meet with two other 

 species possessed of a similar habit, Satyrus schakra 

 and Aulocera brahminus. These are also dull-coloured 



