254 
SOUTH-AFKICAN BUTTERFLIES. 
The species-identity of the conspicuous pale-yellow tailed male Papilio 
known as P. Merope or P. Brutus with the sombre-tinted tail-less females P. 
Cenea, P. Troplionius, P. Hijppocoon, and other unnamed varieties, was pointed 
out by myself as in the highest degree probable in 1868 {Trans. Linn. Soc. 
Lond., 1869), and was proved in 1873 by Mr. J. P. Mansel Weale, who reared 
the ^ and the three prominent forms of 9 — eight of each sex — from exactly 
similar larvae {Trans. Ent. Soc, 1874). In 1881 I was enabled to place on 
record Colonel Bowker's capture of the paired sexes at D'Urban on the 2 2d Feb- 
ruary in that year {Trans. Ent. Soc, 1881, p. 169, pi. ix.) ; and I received from 
him in the following year a second pair (still united), taken on the 3d July. 
I one case the ^ was of the prevalent continuous-banded jN"atalian variation, but 
in the other had the hind-wing band reduced to three rather small and widely 
separated blotches ; the $ being in both cases the ordinary one of the white- 
spotted variation. Colonel Bowker noted that in flight the ^ carried the $ .1 
This fine species is quite confined to wooded districts, but is numerous in 
such tracts during the summer, the ? being, however, much less frequently 
seen on the wing than the ^ . The latter is exceeding 'conspicuous in flight, 
taking a rapid irregular course over and about the underwood, and following 
usually a set circuitous route, only interrupted by occasional halts at flowers, 
especially those of Plumbago. At Knysna I noted a specimen with peculiarly 
torn wings return repeatedly over the same ground, and twice captured it. Mr. 
Mansel Weale and Colonel Bowker have both noted this behaviour of the ^ , and 
agree in their observation that it is related to the presence of the $ , "^ho 
remains settled in some shady spot among the weeds and bushes. Colonel Bowker 
has seen a with a broken wing return many times to the same $ , passing on 
after making " two or three dips with half-closed wings." Mr. Weale further 
records that "as the afternoon draws on the females leave their retiring spot 
and flutter slowly about, sometimes coming out into the open, but more appa- 
rently to show themselves than for the sake of food. On one occasion I 
saw four males busily courting a female, but unfortunately I disturbed them." 
The $ is always, as far as I have observed, much slower on the wing than the 
(J , and stays much longer at the flowers she visits. I noticed at Knysna that 
she specially aflected the small white flowers of a low-growing labiate. 
The brown and ochre-yellow colouring of the under side of P. Cenea serves 
well to protect the butterfly from observation when at rest among withered 
foliage. 
Mrs. Barber, at the beginning of the year 1871, was fortunate enough to 
observe this protective resemblance in nature, and sent me the following note 
on the subject, viz. : — 
" I caught a fine Mero2')e with my finger and thumb the other day. It 
was just beginning to rain, and, though it was not late, Merope thought proper to 
seek a resting-place, which he wisely chose upon a shrub which resembled his 
own under-side colouring. It was a splendid match. When he closed his 
wings among the yellow and brown seeds and flowers of the shrub, no bird 
would ever have distinguished him. I had no net with me, and my first 
attempt was a failure. However, the butterfly took a turn round the neigh- 
bourhood, examined several other shrubs (which he found were not so good, I 
suppose), and eventually returned to the same perch." 
The mimicry of Amauris Echeria, A. dominicanus, and Danais Chrysippus 
respectively by the three forms of the 9 is very apparent. It is closest in the 
first of these, the simulation of Echeria by the smaller specimens of the ordi- 
nary 9 {Cenea, Stoll) being exact to deception, but is quite near enough to 
be effectual in the two others, as I have noticed at Knysna and D'Urban 
respectively. 
1 The late Mr. Hewitson has put on record [Ent. M. Mag., 1874, p. 113) his receipt from 
Fernando Po of P. Merope and P. Hippocoon, captured in copula by Mr. Rogers. 
