INSECT COLLECTING, IN BRITISH GUIANA. 113 
powerful hind legs for that purpose. The female, when 
about to lay her eggs, makes a small hole in the ground, 
and by means of her ovipositor deposits them in this hole 
and covers itup afterwards. The Mantidz deposit their — 
eggs in a similar manner. 
The Lepidopterz of the colony are so numerous, and 
include such a curious and interesting colleétion, that 
it would take up too much space to describe more than 
the commoner ones, which may always be procured by 
taking very little trouble. We cannot of course include 
the beautiful Morpho Butterflies, which may be seen in 
their glory in some creeks of the Demerara and Esse- 
quebo Rivers. The upper surface of the wings is of a 
splendid metallic blue which shines in the sunlight. 
Two of the best creeks for them are the Madewini and 
Camouni, in which I have seen a great number. They 
are exceedingly difficult to net, flying high and dancing 
up and down with very quick movements. In _ the 
Camouni creek, while passing in a bateau near the 
Chinese settlement, five or six of these (M. menelaus) 
were seen. I stood on the gunwale and holding on to 
the top of the tent, net in hand, was about to make a 
sweep and catch them, when suddenly I missed, the 
boat lurched over, and | fell over board into the stream. 
I lost my net, and experienced the inconvenience of a 
sudden ducking (moral,—never try to catch Morphos 
from a bateau). About dusk in the Botanic Gardens 
near the Lamaha Canal, Caligo Oberon may be seen 
flitting about under the trees, while it is not uncommon 
to net Caligo Teucer in the same place. The under 
surface of the wings are marked very curiously, the hind 
wing having a large ‘‘eye.” It is not often that a 
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