Insects. 



2667 



immediate neighbourhood of Para, and the assiduity with winch we 

 have searched it, new things in diurnal Lepidoptera are constantly 

 turning up: during the last seven days I have taken six species I 

 never saw before. I have been miserably delayed in setting out for 

 the interior : we were to have sailed towards the end of July, and it is 

 only this week they began to load the vessel. Preparing has been a 

 troublesome and expensive job ; but when once on the water expenses 

 will be trifling, and according to all appearances our life will be all 

 unmitigated enjoyment. I should have liked a sympathising com- 

 panion better than being alone, but that in this barbarous country is 

 not to be had. I have got a half-wild coloured youth, who is an ex- 

 pert entomologist, and have clothed him with the intention of taking 

 him with me as assistant: if he does not give me the slip he will be 

 a valuable help to me. You can inform Mr. E. Doubleday that I can 

 pair nearly the whole of the beautiful Papilios we find here : in the 

 present collection you will find the glorious P. Sesostns mated -the 

 only instance in which I have found it in copula, although long sus- 

 pected it: this makes five species now mated by actual detection in 

 cop and I have strong circumstantial evidence against four others : 

 one male with a round green spot on its fore wings has for its mate (I 

 have no doubt) the splendid creature with an irregular greenish patch 

 on its fore wings, and a crimson band with pearly lustre on its hind 

 wings • I have seen them fluttering together, and always find them in 

 the same locality very local and scarce. Another strong-bodied spe- 

 cies (male), with wedge-shaped spot dusky white on fore wings, and a 

 crimson band with bluish reflection on hind pair, is no doubt the male 

 of a larger insect with similar markings,— spot of fore wings being 

 rounder, and fore edge of hind wings having a white spot or two in a 

 line with the crimson band : they are found in the same locality, which 

 is neither the shade of forest (like most others) nor the open ground, 

 but weedy and bushy old clearings. Proteus has for its female a spe- 

 cies whose spot on fore wings is round and white, fringe of hind 

 wings white, and crimson band of spots narrow : they are found m 

 similar situations. In Mechanitis I have found two species in copula, 

 which you have already received, ticketed accordingly : there is 

 scarcely any difference between the males and females, and I think 

 this is the case throughout the Mechanites. In the present collection 

 is a long series of a handsome species, of two very different varieties, 

 —whether male or female I have had no opportunity of detecting: I 

 have reared them from the same caterpillar : the variety you will see 

 is only a substitution of one colour. I think that the Mechanitis with 



