Bairstow: Natural History Notes — South Africa. 167 



speedily, when lo ! and behold ! the torpid imp of insignificance, with 



ne'er a hint or caution, 



But, with mien of 'scaping thief, he jump'd right on my cabinet door, 

 Squatted on a glazed window that beautifies my cabinet door, 

 Jump'd, and squat, and nothing more. 



— in other words, he leaped at one bound from my table-top on to the 



glass of my cabinet door — a distance of four good yards. I was much 



amused to see how " pat " he deposited himself, not screwing and 



twisting about to ensure comfort, like a dog. Several ladies who were 



in the room at this moment also leaped out of the room. 



In my first ramble I was gratified in securing a fine specimen of one 

 of the Neuroptera, with long linear hind-wings over twice the length 

 of its body. One might be excused for mistaking it for a Dipteron 

 with prolonged poisers. Another insect was a stranger to me — one of 

 the peculiar antennae-clubbed Neuroptera, belonging, I think, to the 

 genus AscalnpJius. It is a most voracious creature. 



Another fly^' — a dark, murderous blood-sucking rascal of about an 

 inch long —was common, humming about, sounding death-knells to 

 victims. He is a terrible fellow, and will attack a lovely AntJiocaris 

 with as little compunction as a brother of his own order. I have often 

 watched him pretending to snooze at rest on a rock, then pouncing,f 

 running, or flying in a direct way upon an innocent fly. A large 

 species of OpJiiou frequents low bushes. IpJdolax (and doubtless 

 Vipio) is represented by many and beautifully variegated species. I 

 should imagine Vollenhoven's surmise that these genera may be 

 accounted exotic was perfectly accurate.' They include various inter- 

 esting Ichneumons. Chrysids I do not consider numerous, and saw- 

 flies require much patient hard work. Glancing momentarily into the 

 world of Hymenoptera, consolidating a grand majority of Ichneumons 

 within a restricted area, those having dusky wings of indefinite visible 

 neuration and interlacing, predominate. The same perhaps may be 

 said of the bees, wasps, &c. There are black wing-forms, blotchy 

 black, apically black, but the transparent forms bring up the rear. 

 Unless, therefore, large series of specimens are compared, we cannot 

 readily determine them. All the more difficult are they to recognise 

 on the wing. 



The following list of butterflies completes my first day's observa- 

 tions : — Pieris Hf.lUca,\ P. gidica, P. chariua, Antliocaru acliine^ Colias 

 electra^\ Danais chri/sippiis, Pyraineh cardui^ Erehia sabacus (n. sp.j, 



* Dipteron — most likely one of the Asilidce. 

 t The legs are admirably provided with bristles for "gripping." 

 X These were the commonest butterflies. 



