INTRODUCTORY 19 



the lizard by speed. Colour, in either case, is immaterial. No 

 bird none, that is, within my circle of acquaintance troubles 

 the RJiopalocera. The specific reason of their specialised colours 

 and colour-patterns (if any) must be sought in some direction 

 other than "protection." Such quests, however, should be 

 rigorously eclectic, else the only certain result will be yet 

 further to multiply the existing mass of superficial theories 

 and unproven deduction. 



The above impressions were derived solely from the 

 winter months. Of summer in the Sudan I know nothing, 

 but Mr A. L. Butler (being- recalled by the War) wrote me 

 September i6th, 1914: "The whole country is steaming 

 greener and more tropical than ever I have known it. 

 Even the desert is quite green with little weeds that have 

 sprung up all over it, and the place is alive with butterflies 

 and hawk-moths." 



Hawk-moths, by the way, are a notable feature of the 

 winter season. Dining in the open air, dozens of these 

 huge insects hover around the electric lights, or flop 

 promiscuously on the table-cloth or on the back of 

 one's neck! disconcerting to the nervous, but apt to set 

 a British entomologist wild when he sees half-a-dozen 

 magnificent creatures such as the Oleander hawk-moth 

 (one of the rarest prizes at home) calmly alighting on a 

 chandelier ! 



"SHALL I GO?" 

 (No : stop and be sketched. Can't waste cartridges on lo-footers.) 



