Baiestow : Natueal Histoey Notes feom South Afeica. 99 



hap-hazard surmise, so that to quote particularly from hearsay 

 devolves a medley encumbrance. Apart from swarms, I quickly 

 observed a peculiarity of locust domestic life, I lift the veil of 

 privacy and perceive that some species pair in their pupal stage. 

 There is another problem I should very much like in solution. When 

 I first left England * for this country I used to enjoy an early prome- 

 nade on deck. A few days past Madeira on the 10th of September, 

 1880. in lat. 21° 20", long. 17° 56", a phenomenon appeared. Sud- 

 denly there swarmed aft an immense number of insects — Lepidoptera 

 — one specimen only, a locust, excepted. I netted or boxed many 

 species, chloroformed them with the Doctor's assistance, and trans- 

 ferred to a safe abode, as I vainly imagined. On nearing Cape Town, 

 to my utter annoyance a colony of vile little carnivorous pests had 

 taken possession, and cleared nearly every treasure, leaving only legs 

 and debris of their victims to tell the tale. At the S. A. museum I 

 identified a splendid SpJiinx, taken at rest on the poop, as CficBrocampa 

 idrlcus. Very curiously the Rev. ls\x Shaw, of Madagascar (a fellow 

 passenger) recognised one or two insects which occurred on that 

 island. A few butterflies and gaily-coloured birds were fluttering 

 about the rigging in a state of exhaustion, but all the moths I picked 

 up, when I first saw them were dormant. 



Now, was there any selection of kinsmen, or essential partisans, 

 any pre-arrangement of spontaneous migration ? Why, then select a 

 solitary locust % What outside agency impelled the flight of creatures 

 from different localities % Or if such a multidude of colonising insects 

 were wandering aimlessly, or by compulsory ejectment, or a precon- 

 certed signal, for their native shore, and met casually or purposely, or 

 neither, within the limited area of a ship's deck ; what proportions of 

 vastness or* meagreness did the swarm assume at starting ? Our 

 passengers remarked the visiting moths cleared next day as fitfully as 

 they appeared. Ah ! ah ! a collector was aboard. I have long and 

 firmly believed that local weather diaries compared together will aid us 

 in determining causes of insect swarms quite as efiiciently as local 

 " presence " records. Winds sweep existences from land to water : 

 why not from land, across water, to land ?f The Blosop {Pueumora) 



* s s. Balmoral Castle, Capt. J. Winctester. 



t On dit. — A tremendous swarm of caterpillars invaded Port Elizabeth, some 

 years ago, causing much, annoyance to the inliabitants. A land wind swept them 

 into the ocean. I have often picked up insects on the sea-heach complete 

 strangers to me, although I am willing to confess these may may have been 

 blown frem the bush, ^nd formerly escaped notice There are frequent reports 

 from up-country of proccssionary larval invasions. Some of them only dis- 

 appeared when travelling into rivers (!) 



