November, 1898.] 



MOV 19 189e 241 



I was seeking a little shade under the gum trees (which, by-the-by, 

 are planted Australian trees, not native), and these moths fairly 

 obtruded themselves. They fly up, and then quickly settle again upon 

 the ground, both fore- and hind-wings raised quite perpendicularly 

 and close together over the back. At this time there was no grass to 

 speak of ; since then there has been rain, and I find the moths, not 

 upon the ground, but clinging to the grass under a bush with the 

 wings in the same perpendicular position, flying up and settling quickly 

 in the same manner." This moth is extremely plain on the upper-side, 

 pale straw colour, without markings, except a broad smoky hind mar- 

 ginal band to the fore-wings, and sometimes to the hind ; but the 

 under-side is often much more ornamental, the broad band of the 

 fore-wings repeated, and the hind- wings beautifully striped in a longi- 

 tudinal direction with reddish-brown dusted with darker. This, 

 however, is not invariable, some specimens are devoid of markings on 

 the under-side, while others possess them in a small degree. When 

 well marked this species readily calls to mind our Fidonia piniaria, L., 

 which places its wings when at rest in precisely the same manner. 



Some of the remarks upon butterflies seem also to be worthy of 

 record. 



Sarangeza motozoides, Holland. — " It led me a pretty chase. I 

 was going down the steep river bank this afternoon to cross the river 

 on stepping stones, when a small butterfly flew past and alighted where 

 I could scarcely reach it on the sunny bank ; I tried, and almost suc- 

 ceeded, but not quite ! I saw it again, but could not get it, so crossed 

 the river to the native kraal for which I was bound. Coming back 

 after crossing the river with fear and trembling, I bethought me to 

 look again for the butterfly that had puzzled me — disturbed it from 

 the sunny bank, it settled, and I nearly had it, but it flew away and I 

 started for home ; but had the curiosity to examine another warm 

 sunny spot on the other side, and there secured it." This calls to 

 mind another occasion in which one of the boys catapulted a magnifi- 

 cent moth which was flying on the opposite side of the river, and, 

 leaving his brother to watch, went round to the ford, crossed and 

 secured it. It proved to be Pleretes hellatrix, Dalman ; rich tawny- 

 yellow or orange with blue-black stripes, a veritable " Tiger " moth, 

 and, considering the treatment it received, in very fair condition. 



Danais Misippus, L. (^Diadema bolina, L.) ? var. — " We found the 

 larva on a fleshy flat weed in the ' lands ;' it was of a sepia tint with 

 darker bristles, each bristle branched into tufts of four or five. It 



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