128 



The Natuealist. 



passing Morplio or Papilio. and then fly back to their favourite port, 

 the majestic Mo7yJio taking no more notice of them than a solemn 

 mastiff does of a yelping cur. Sometimes I have had a merry skipper 

 settle on the back of my hand, where he found food suitable to his 

 palate, in the drops of perspiration brought out by the broiling sun. I 

 am sorry to say that many butterflies are not at all refined in their 

 tastes, and much prefer a meal off the dung of other animals to the 

 nectar of the choicest flowers ; and I have often seen some lovely and 

 delicate creature taking his breakfast on the filthy greasy coat of one 

 of the Italian navvies employed upon my work. The Faphias are much 

 addicted to these disgusting habits. 



The little streams that I have mentioned form most wonderful 

 collecting grounds where they cross these sandy roads ; indeed I know 

 of no more productive spots than one of these where the road is in 

 forest. At mid-day, when the sun pours down perpendicularly on the 

 wet sand, the butterflies congregate in myriads, settling on the ground 

 and applying their trunks assiduously to the water. There are certain 

 patches that seem to have an especial attraction, and on these they are 

 so closely packed that they may be said to be like the Irishman's 

 " snipes that were "usually jostlin'^ one another." I once made a 

 swoop at a cluster of a little white Terias, just to see how many I could 

 get into the net at once, and I counted fifty -two ! A large sulphur- 

 coloured species [Catopsilia pJiilea) may betaken in quantities on these 

 damp places. Their appearance as they rest in companies of twelve to- 

 twenty, with their large wings standing up and often leaning over to- 

 one side, has a striking resemblance to a fleet of tiny yachts in full 

 sail. And Papilios and Nymphalid^ without number will also be taken 

 at the stream. A man may spend a very profitable day by sitting 

 under the shade of a neighbouring tree, and sallying out every few 

 minutes with his net. 



And now, as the heat has become rather trying, we may as well 

 follow the suggestion ourselves, and have a little rest. But even here 

 we shall have plenty to interest us and fill us v/ith delight. First, we- 

 shall notice a great blue-bodied long-legged wasp lugging a huge spider 

 up the bank on which we are sitting, running backwards with her 

 heavy burden held tightly in her jaws. Finding the spider rather 

 awkward to pull through the grass with his legs sprawling in all 

 directions, she sets to work and nips them off one after another, and 

 takes only the fat juicy body to be the food of the rising generation 

 of grubs. Then we shall be bothered by the tickling of a lot of little 

 tiny bees that are following the example of the skipper and having a 



