Dr. A. G. Butler on Lepidoptera from Nyasa. 67 



The indications of these two lists are in an inverse direc- 

 tion. In the first the fall of temperature results, so far as 

 the animal is concerned, from the feebleness of its heat- 

 producing capacity, a feebleness proportional to its antiquity ; 

 in the second from its adaptation to the environment, an 

 adaptation proportional to its recentness. 



IV. — There results from this empiricism confirming the 

 induction : 



(1) That life in its evolution accommodates itself to the 

 cooling of our globe ; that it began at very high temperatures, 

 that at first it had for its chemical medium no other tempe- 

 rature than that of the surrounding medium. 



(2) That as the temperature fell the heat-producing capacity 

 came into existence ; its origin becomes clear ; the heat- 

 producing capacity, a function ol: cooling, determines with 

 the animal temperatures the order of the appearance of species ; 

 lastly, that the class Mammalia is not composed solely of 

 so-called warm-blooded animals, but that it comprises a whole 

 group which may truly be called cold-blooded. 



IX. — On a small Collection of Lepidoptera sent from Nyasa 

 in 1895 hy Mr. M. Crawshay. By Arthue G. Butler, 

 Ph.D. i&c. 



Although the present consignment includes only one new 

 species, it is exceptionally interesting, not only as comprising 

 several links between described species, but on account of the 

 important additional evidence afforded by the careful dating of 

 the captures ; so tliat now it is possible, by comparing these 

 with Mr. Crawshay's previous consignments, to prove con- 

 clusively that several very distinct forms declared to be 

 seasonal and conspecific occur together repeatedly in various 

 months of the year — that, in fact, they are not confined to any 

 particular season, and have no more evident claim to be called 

 forms of one species than our European Vanessa c-album or 

 V. polychloros have to be called forms of V. urticce. 



1. Melanitis leda, var. solandra. 

 Pa2)ilio solandra, Fabricius, Syst. Ent. p. TjOO (1775). 

 Deep Bay, W. coast of Lake Kyasa, Feb. 14th, 1895. 

 " Dusky brown Thicket, eyed upper wing. Delicate, almost 

 impossible to kill a perfect specimen " (R. C). 



5* 



