168 



The Na^turalist. 



CJirysopla7iu8 lara, Zeritis clirysaor^ Z. perion, Z. tJiyra, Pyrgus elina, 

 and several other species I failed to identify. I am quite astray 

 amongst the i^Iantidse. They are quite foreign to me, but the yellow 

 forms appear to mimic the plants which they frequent, even as do 

 the yellow spiders and others. Of the Cicadae and Arachnidse I shall 

 speak later on. 



My premier and sweeping impression of faunal characteristics was 

 one pertaining to philosophy or sentiment. It was this : " How grand 

 are the provisions which Nature ordains for such frail creatures as 

 insects ! I might adapt the same inference with reference to the 

 higher animals. She uses her blessings with admirable discretion, 

 and those who study " utility " have a giant task alone to discover the 

 organs of defence and agression, and the means whereby the sexes are 

 attracted. The task grows big indeed when we peer into the maze 

 of Nature's creative purposes, and method of dovetailing this to 

 that. 



Altogether, I wrote down my first ramble " profitable," and of 

 course I include the fine-feeling romances in this verdict. 



Now a word or two about an able article which appeared in the 

 Entomologist, some couple of years ago, on the Rhopalocera of Natal. 

 It was both gratifying and disappointing. It is pleasing to know that 

 we have such an earnest and painstaking naturalist in our midst^ 

 hailing more especially from Afric's garden. I should feel less disap- 

 pointed had that article first passed the scrutiny of our meritorious 

 curator, Mr. Roland Trimen, of wide reputation as author and gentle- 

 man. He it was who sifted the dehris of a scattered literature and 

 constructed a firm basis of reference, being assisted ably by the creme 

 de la m-eme of our Colonial entomologists, and rendering, on all 

 occasions, Csesar's clue unto Csesar. Personally, I should no more 

 think of registering a new take unless it were submitted to Mr. Trimen 

 than should I think of penning these words minus my fingers. Had 

 not the article referred to commenced with the following paragraph, it 



would never have been touched upon by me : " but the list 



[Trimen 8) is evidently incomplete, since I have taken several neto species 

 myself^ I ask, what guarantee has the writer that his new species 

 new ? I ask, is there such a thing as completion or perfection . to 

 discovery % For my own part, during a short space of time, what with 

 home and colonial aid, a long list of new species is speedily metamor- 

 phosed, doubt precedes certainty, commonness perhaps rarity ; and, 

 indeed, an intimate contact with our unpretending yet well-informed 

 colonists, who do not always publish their knowledge to the world, has 



