1899.] L. de mceviWe— List of the Butterflies of Oeylon. 171 



native butterfly-hunters of Ceylon does not exist; the reason being 

 that living is so cheap, clothes almost unnecessary, and labour so dear, 

 that there is little or no incentive to work. The best plan for those 

 who have sufficient leisure is to adopt Messrs. Mackwood and Fairlie's 

 method, and fit out one or two bullock carts and camp out, travelling 

 slowly from place to place. This can be made very enjoyable, more 

 especially if the entomologist is a sportsman as well, as game, large and 

 small, abounds in many places, and he can combine the two very satis- 

 factorily ; but on the other hand July, one of the best months in the 

 Northern Province, is the worst for shooting ; so that unless more than 

 butterflies are studied, the entomologist will find time hang heavily on 

 his hands, as the number of species is undoubtedly few, the whole 

 number of Ceylon butterflies only amounting to some 228 species. The 

 following extract from the Ceylon Independent will give a very good 

 idea of the rainfall of the various districts in the Island : — 



" The Survey or- General has published with his Meteorological 

 Report for last year a map of the Island, shewing the Average Annual 

 Rainfall. We find from a comparison of this map with that supplied 

 for the previous year that there is hardly any change in the amount 

 of rainfall recorded in the different districts in 1896 and 1897. The 

 district roughly included between Nawalapitiya and Watawala is the 

 rainiest district of the Island, having the large annual rainfall of 

 200 inches and more. Taking this as the centre, the districts of the 

 Island may be arranged round it roughly in concentric circles according 

 to rainfall. The district next in point of rainfall to the Nawalapitiya- 

 Watawala district is that portion of the country in which are included 

 Awissawella, Labugama and the Ratnapura districts with a rainfall of 

 J 50 inches and more. Next comes a large tract with a rainfall of 100 

 inches and more. In this tract are included the sea-board districts of 

 the Western Province excluding Colombo, and of the Southern from 

 Galle to Ambalangoda. A large part of the Central Province except 

 the Nuwara Eliya district is also included in this tract. Next in order 

 comes an area with 75 inches and more of rainfall in which are included 

 Colombo and Kandy, the route of the Railway between those two towns, 

 the district of Galle, and the rest of the Central Province not included in 

 the area mentioned before. The driest parts of the Island come next. 

 These dry districts can be divided into two areas, one with a rainfall 

 of 50 inches and more, and the other with a rainfall of under 50 

 inches. In the former are included the N.-W.P. except the Puttalam 

 district, the whole of the N.-C.P., half of the Jaffna Peninsula, 

 Mullaittivu, Trincomali, Batticaloa, the Matara district, and strange to 

 say Dumbara though surrounded by very rainy districts. The last place 

 J. II. 22 



