URANIA SLOANUS. 71 



long used as a pasture) well-grown and spreading; 

 others (which had been spared in the recent clearing) 

 slender, tall and branchless trunks, with a little tuft 

 of foliage at the extremity. In an excursion to the 

 mountain at this period, I observed Uranice fluttering 

 around these trees, soon after sunrise ; some half a 

 dozen round each tree, and others very high in the 

 air, dashing along in a headlong manner over the 

 loftiest trees. They chiefly aflected a very lofty 

 isolated tree, and hence were with difficulty captured. 

 Anxious to know at what time they began to be 

 active, I ascended the mountain by starlight, cheered 

 on my way by the rich gushes of melody from that 

 worthy rival of the Nightingale, the Mocking-bird. 

 I first saw Urania as the sun was rising. 



But about three weeks later than this, viz. in the 

 first week of April, I had much better opportunities 

 of observing this magnificent insect at my very door. 

 For it then began suddenly to be numerous at early 

 day about the Pear-trees around Bluefields House. 



Stationing myself under these trees in the morning 

 twilight, I found that a little before sunrise the 

 TJranicB begin to appear. At first they come slowly^ 

 one by one ; but about the time that the glowing 

 sky over the mountain betokens the march of the 

 advancing sun, they are fluttering in scores round 

 the trees, sucking the blossoms. They are not here 

 nearly so difficult of capture ; on the first morning 

 I secured in about an hour fifteen good specimens, 

 besides several which I rejected ; and I might have 

 caught twice that number, but I abstained from 

 molesting those which I saw to be imperfect. This 



