258 MR. H. J. ELWES ON BUTTERFLIES FROM [Apr. 21, 



Zulla valley along with Armandia ; the other species (C. Mstrionicus, 

 var. altissima, Elwes) came, T think, from lower ground. The mimicry 

 in this species seems very perfect at a little distance, both in flight and 

 colouring ; so that it is only when you look closely that you see that 

 all the colours are quite different from those of Danais genutia. The 

 long-bodied Sphinx-like Bomhyx you think a new genus (allied to 

 Tarsolepis fulgurifera, Wk.) was taken in cracks and hollows of 

 trees high above the ground, and was hard to distinguish from the 

 bark. The creatures can hardly fly at all, and I brought down one 

 with a stone." 



I may add that the species just referred to came from the Naga 

 Hills, not from Burmah. 



On his return from Momeit, which I see is also written Momeik, 

 and is now to be annexed to British Burmah, Mr. Doherty writes 

 me from Mandalayon June 30th: — " Among the Momeit Butterflies 

 are a number oiLihythea rohina {L. narina), which occurs there along 

 with myrrha. Also a few pairs of Yoma vasuTci, Doherty. I think 

 Yoma will stand as a genus in spite of Semper's rash identification 

 of it with Salamis. Each of the islands from Java and Celebes 

 eastwards seems to have its form of Yoma, all very dubiously distinct ; 

 though constant enough on the upperside, vasuJci is no better 

 species than two or three more. Among the Bernardmyo species is 

 a broken specimen of Papilio machaon taken at 5500 feet. The 

 soldiers there took several broken examples of P. gyas and P. Icrishna, 

 also a bad specimen of Lethe purana, none of which I got. The 

 weather at Bernardmyo was much colder than I expected, colder 

 than Darjiling in the rains. During June the weather was lovely, 

 and I do not understand why the woods were so devoid of all animal 

 life. May was a good month for beetles and I did very well ; but 

 June was a failure all round, both on the high and low country. I 

 was detained beyond my intentions, as Longchung was too ill to be 

 moved, and then I could get no transport. At last I got away in 

 the ' burst of the monsoon ' and had a most uncomfortable 70 miles 

 to the river. Thabeitkyin, where scarcely any rain falls, was like a 

 paradise when we got there, and I was able to dry all ray specimens, 

 which I hope will reach you in good order. My men are all very 

 low with fever and dysentery. The Ruby Mines are the most 

 unhealthy district I ever heard of; I suftered far less than my men, 

 and yet 1 lost 15 pounds weight." 



The extracts which I have quoted above give a graphic picture of 

 the life of a collector in the niore unexplored and out-of-the-way 

 hill-tracts of India ; and though Mr. Doherty constantly speaks, as 

 Wallace does in the Malay Archipelago, of his want of success, yet 

 he has done more than I could have expected in the time, and his 

 collection of Moths in particular, though not so numerous in Burmah 

 as in the Naga Hills, includes many novelties, and will take me some 

 time to work out. After leaving Burmah Mr. Doherty went to 

 Sumatra, and is now on his way to the Eastern islands of the Malay 

 Archipelago, whence 1 trust he will return in safety with rich 

 collections. He has already done more than any other single man I 



