358 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES, chap. xix. 



Thirty -five species were captured at or above 8500 feet. 

 The largest of the whole has been identified by Mr. Druce 

 as Erehus odora, Lin. Of the three examples which were 

 obtained, two — a male and a female — were brought in alive 

 by my young friends at Machachi (9800). The third was 

 secured upon the homeward voyage, on the Pacific Steam Navi- 

 gation Company's SS. Ilo, about 100 miles south of Panama. 

 I noticed this moth, careering about the ship, twenty-four hours 

 before it was taken. Some of the crew said that it flew 

 on board while we were at sea, but it seems to me more 

 probable that it came to us while the Ilo was lying in the 

 Guayaquil river. One of the Machachi specimens measures 

 7|^ inches across the wings. All three examples were powerful 

 and tenacious of life, and this moth is also exceptional 

 in its great range in altitude, — having been taken, as I have 

 stated above, at the level of the sea, and nearly 10,000 feet 

 higher. 



The species which were secured at the greatest heights 

 have not been determined — even generically. Amongst others 



may be noted a beautiful 

 pure white moth, with wings 

 of satin - like texture, which 

 was taken at about 12,000 

 feet, in the daytime, on the 

 eastern slopes of Pichincha. 

 A Figure of this is annexed, 

 of the natural size. Another, 

 at first siffht not very dis- 



MOTH FROM I2,000 FEET ON PICHINCHA. ^ "^ 



similar in appearance, but of 

 smaller size, and having a suspicion of golden colour on the 

 otherwise pure white upper wings, was captured at our camp 

 on Cotocachi (14,500 feet), in the dusk. The loftiest position 

 at which we actually obtained moths was on the very highest 

 point of Guagua Pichincha (15,918 feet). A rather numerous 



I 



