390 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTOR1 SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



tember. At the end of September I found a heliotrope bush swarming 

 with these last three species. 



190. Badamia exclamationis. — Common at low elevations : August to 

 October. 



191. Rhopalocampta benjaminii. — Rare at high elevations in September. 

 Caught in Tiger Sholah by Mr. Evershed. 



Note on Migrations, 

 by 

 Mr. J. Evershed. 



The Gatojosilia migrations are observed in spring and autumn 

 over the Palnis. In the spring months, — March to June, — 

 0. crocale, C. pijranihe, C. catilla, and occasionally G.jiwella, are seen 

 flying north and north-east. The direction is quite independent of 

 wind and can have no reference to the position of the sun, which 

 may be at or near the zenith in April. They travel at about fifteen 

 miles an hour, more or less, according to the direction of the wind, 

 which may assist or retard their flight. It is remarkable how 

 seldom the butterflies deviate from a constant direction or azimuth 

 although following closely the contours of the ground : woods 

 or small sholas are not avoided, but passed through near the ground 

 if the undergrowth is not too thick, otherwise they prefer to fly 

 over rather than around such obstacles. This habit seems to apply 

 also to much larger obstacles, for the Palni Hills themselves could 

 be avoided by travelling to the east in the plains, before reaching 

 the hills ; yet the butterflies may be seen ascending the precipices 

 on the south side of the hills, and heading north immediately on 

 reaching the summits. 



These butterflies have not been seen by me in great swarms, as 

 recorded occasionally in the plains but a single observer may count 

 several hundred individuals passing per hour during about four 

 hours in the middle of the day, and the flight may be maintained 

 day after day for several weeks together, if the weather is sunny. 



The autumn migrations are observed in October and November, 

 the direction of flight being almost due south. In addition to 

 Gatopsilias many other species have been observed at this season, in 

 particular Papilio demoleus (seen in great numbers in 1908 ), also 

 P. hector, P. agamemmnon, Ilypolimnas bolina, Danais chrysippus, 



