508 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIII, 
dts own area but the recessive in its neighbour’s. In Nature it would seem that 
the reeessive always becomes swamped by the dominant, unless it gets its chance 
under changed conditions, which are more favourable to the recessive than to 
the dominant. Breeding experiments on these lines might reveal all kinds of 
secrets. While speaking of the butterflies memnon and polymnestor, an inte- 
resting fact may be mentioned regarding the Andaman representative ; the male 
shows a much closer resemblance to polymnestor than to memnon and is tailless, 
while the female appears to be a totally different insect and is almost exactly 
like the tailed female of memnon. 
i6. There are one or two other characteristics displayed by butterflies that 
I would like to draw attention to, as showing what an interesting subject their 
study can be. Butterflies possess peculiar instincts, regarding which we know 
very little. The latest theory regarding their eyesight is that not only do they 
fail to distinguish objects at a range exceeding twelve inches, but that they are 
also totally colour blind. Yet a butterfly can fly at a great pace unerringly through 
the closest jungle and appears to be able to distinguish his mate at great distances 
(the English ‘‘ drinker moth ” can, I understand, locate a female at a range 
exceeding a mile): he can locate flowers with apparently no scent quite easily 
and return to the same bit of carrion the next day, if he is so inclined ; the female 
in selecting the correct food plant for her eggs proves herself to be a botanist of 
no mean calibre. Whatever a butterfly’s eyesight may be, there isno doubt 
that he can spot at once the least movement that is out of the ordinary, as the 
collector will soon notice when stalking a wary species. 
17. Many males display certain extraordinary features, known as secondary 
sexual characters ; some have brands of specialised scales on the wings, others 
pouches and again others recumbent or erectile tufts of hairs ; some species have 
a profusion of these features. In the Danaids the male can protrude long pen- 
ils of hairs from the end of its body. The functions of these characters are not 
understood and will only be solved by close observation work. Some 
butterflies, notably amongst the Morphids, emit a pleasing scent resembling 
vanilla, which remains for a long time after death. The primary sexual 
characters of the male are most extraordinary and have received a great deal 
of attention in recent years ; their structure has in many cases proved of the very 
greatest importance in classification, while in certain very closely allied species, 
an investigation of the genitalia is nesded, before they can be accurately 
determined. Another curious characteristic is that displayed by the eater- 
pillars of certain Lyeenids ; they are attended by various species of ants, who 
in return for being allowed to suck the juices exuded from certain glands, 
look after the caterpillar and protect itfrom its enemies ; the habit has got so 
strong that the caterpillar cannot live without its particular species of ant 
being there to protect it. 
18. The foregoing paragraphs have been written with the idea of showing 
those who have taken a superficial interest in the butterflies of India, that the 
pursuit of butterfly colle-ting in real earnest contains many fascinating avenues 
to be explored ; I may say that I have only touched on the fringe of the whole 
subject. The first desideratum, however, is the making of a collection, s0 that 
the species may be identified and the knowledge already accumulated rendered 
intelligible. We should never get any forrarder, if we all had to start where Adam 
did, There are no real difficulties about making a collection and with ordinary 
care its preservation is moderately simple. 
19. The best kind of net is of the form shown in the sketch. I have tried 
many patterns and speak with some experience. The net is a strong one and 
can be used for beating bushes. It is an article of store, known as the ‘“‘ Balloon 
Net”, and can be obtained from Watkins and Doncaster, 36 Strand, London 
'W. C., or from the Army and Navy Stores, Bombay or Calcutta. Any decent 
