HINTERLAND NOTES 48:j 



AKACTTXID.S AXI) AIVKIOronA 



Scorpions, olive-gTccn, black, and ruddy-brown, have 

 been found. The first were under the loosened bark of a 

 tacouba, wliich we had adopted as a seat, at the far end of an 

 afternoon stroll. Si)i(leis would need a chapter to them- 

 selves, for they include the giant, hairy terrors (wrongly 

 called tarantulas), the ant-like spider, the jumping spider, 

 and the spider which skilfully hides itself behind an X, spun 

 in the middle of its web. Long centipedes are everywhere. 

 And milli])cdes, measuring five inches, may often be seen 

 in the bush. 



INSECTS 



It was at Thewarikuru Landing that I saw and heard 

 the musical butterflies [Ageronia feronia) . Their music re- 

 sembles the crackling of grass under fire. The insects were 

 mottled in shades which appeared to be drabs, greys and 

 browns. They should measure about three inches across the 

 wings. 



We saw more varieties of butterflies in the bush than 

 upon the savannahs. AVherever a road, or a sirahi, is cleared, 

 through bush, there numerous butterflies are to be seen — 

 some at anv time of the dav; others onlv at morn and eve. 

 The large, black butterfly, whose wings are panelled in bright 

 gamboge, we saw only when the raj^s of the sun came slant- 

 ing through the leafy canopy overhead, making patches and 

 bars of light and shade, as they filtered through. In such 

 places the butterfly might, when still, escape detection. This 

 species allowed me to stroke it ; and our baby boy could put 

 his finger to within an inch of it, without disturbing it. We 

 did not allow him to touch it, as he would have poked. A 

 butterfly similar in size, panelled with deep green, was no- 

 ticed, also. And a smaller, black butterfly, with crimson. 

 This was always seen hovering about a special kind of sap- 

 ling, or suspended from its leaves or leafless twigs. We 



