ITINKKARY. XlV 



free of them, as mentioned in one instance by McOonnell in the 

 itinerary of the first journey^ This is mainly due, however, to the 

 effect of drought, for it would seem they are plentiful everywhere in 

 low-lying and flooded areas in the wet seasons. The larger species, 

 commonly known on the rivers as "Kabowroos" — the "noongka" of 

 the Makushis — produces an intense itching where they have pierced 

 the skin, leaving little clots of blood which soon blacken; and the 

 exposed parts of the body may be altogether pitted with them. They 

 may be literally a real torture at times, and cause one to dread the 

 chance exposure of any part of the "body, as in bathing. Luckily they 

 are easily killed by a slight slap, but the operation would have to be a 

 continuous one to give any relief ; and it is a. marvel to witness the 

 stoical endurance of the Indians under the infliction on their bare 

 bodies. Familiarit)' no doubt explains much, though the oiling of the 

 body, an atmosphere of smoke in the enclosed houses, and frequent 

 slapping afford relief. Strong-smelling oils give some protection where 

 clothes are not available, but the effect is only for a time ; and at the 

 camps the ordinary mosquito-netting is not of much use, as the little 

 insects quickly get through : and one hails the coming of night, when 

 they are not about. As may be imagined, the work of the naturalist 

 in the skinning and preparation of specimens, is often one of literally 

 sore trial. Yet, on the whole, in the cooler, more elevated high lands, 

 there is a minimum of these various discomforts — if, indeed, they are 

 not wholly absent. 



In the open country, as also on the coastlands and along the rivers, 

 one is frequently wondering at the flights of the white and yellow Pierids 

 overhead, often for long periods. Somewhere they must be breeding 

 in astonishing numbers, possibly in the forest canopy, since no one, as 

 far as I am aware, has ever come upon the caterpillars in the numbers 

 that would be required for these swarms. The cojnmonest butterfly 

 along the track, however, was a species of Junonia, which seems to be 

 ubiquitous over the savannahs of the sandstone range. At times, many 

 other species of Nymphalids, Hesperids, Lycsenids, etc., were to be 

 seen ; though the most curious of all these insects was a caterpillar of 

 about three inches in length, with long and thick pink, yellow, and 

 black hairs, that was crossing the track on a ridge where the grass was 

 very short and sparse on a rocky ground. It is the only caterpillar I 

 have ever seen which, from the rapidity of its movements, can really 

 be described as running. Possibly it found the rocky track hot under 

 the heat of the sun, or it may have been alarmed by the vibration 

 from many sandalled feet, but its pace was astonishing, and it must 

 have been largely ha;bitual. It would have been interesting to rear it, 

 if circumstances had been favourable : in ignorance of its food-plant, it 

 would have been a trial for both parties. 



The grasshoppers frequently arrested attention by their numbers 

 and variety — chiefly the red-marked dark species, the young of which 

 were collected for pepper-pot, and two huge kinds, species of Tro- 

 pidacris, one with a blue and the other a red hind-wing. The latter 

 (the "Sasa") was once met with in and around some of the Upper 

 Ireng villages in extraordinary numbers; and the projecting central 

 poles of the houses in one village, on an exposed plateau, were covered 



