CoLENSO. — On Danais berenice. 279 



It broke through its pupa case at the top part, near the head and back of 

 the imago, the case (in every instance) sphtting longitudinally for two-thhds 

 of its length into three segments, and then the insect moved its legs a little 

 and got out of its x)rison, and held fast. At this time it appeared almost 

 wingless, or with two tiny transversely-folded, squeezed-up plaits (like 

 pigmy epaulettes) on its shoulders. These soon began to move, to descend, 

 growing larger, and progressing downwards in an astonishing manner — 

 soft, damp, limp, and wavy, their colours prismatically glistening like sUk 

 velvet, and at first falling in graceful folds, plaits, and rumples, without the 

 least approach to stiffness. As its wings were mysteriously and silently 

 evolved and produced, and grew and descended, they also widened to their 

 natural size, but not at first. 



It seemed a truly mysterious sight to see these large wings growing so 

 fast — evolving from nothing ! by some occult hidden power. It was not, 

 for instance, like water (a spring) welling forth from a moimtain's side over 

 green moss, for there was the hidden quantity or mass — here there was 

 nothing behind, and yet it evolved and grew ! 



It took forty-five minutes, or very nearly an hour, before its wings 

 attained to their full size, after which they very soon stiffened, and became 

 rigid. Beautiful they still were in their symmetry, colours, and markings ; 

 but, sic transit! the surpassing glory — that gorgeous pristine exceUence 

 which had so spell-bound me, was, as an object, gone for ever — never, 

 however, to be forgotten while memory remains. 



I have seen, at various times, many plants and flowers unfolding, 

 opening, bursting forth into bloom and beauty — have watched the evolution 

 of some of our elegant tiny ferns, the rapid growth and change of some 

 fungi, and the wonderful and beautiful birth of the ephemeral day-lily, 

 when it imroUs its gorgeous petals to the morning sun ; but aU that I have 

 seen of that description pales and fades before.this — the birth, the amazingly 

 rapid growth, and the beautiful and mysterious development of this butterfly. 

 Words fan to describe it, in its splendid and wonderful living reality— 

 " A thing of beauty is a joy for ever." 



About four years ago, I heard from one of our members (Mr. Meinertz- 

 hagen) that he had captured at Waimarama a butterfly of this species. On 

 his communicating with me concerning it, I identified it as one I had more 

 than once seen in my travels in New Zealand many years before. Shortly 

 after that I saw a pair of them flying here on the hill-side; at Napier ; 

 other specimens were also caught much about the same time, one, or more, 

 of which are now in the Museum of the Athenseum in this town. And Mr. 

 Meinertzhagen, and subsequently Mr. Huntley, found from the Maoris, 

 that they knew the insect weU. 



