August 1947 The Queensland Naturalist 
75 
upon thy character l” Miss Baird has a most humorous 
and instructive little book which further informs us that 
the nightjar is known in France as the “tette-chevre” and 
not, as cue might suppose, as the “vase de nuit!" 
Of course, we don't go in for this sort of thing 
nowadays. We are far too advanced and wise. But per- 
haps, if I had only known, the owl in our camphor laurel 
the other night may have been trying to tell me that I was 
wasting my time trying to get an urgent assessment for 
the Income Tax Department. And 1 heeded him not. Still, 
we have the stars and the teacup readers, so ■who can say 
we haven't advanced? 
NOTES ON TWO SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN 
LYCAENID BUTTERFLIES, IALMENUS ICTINUS 
Hewitson AND IALMENUS sp.? (SCHRADERI 
(Feld.) ??) 
By J. MaeQl'EEN, Mt. Evelyn, via Milmerran. 
For the benefit of those readers who are not 
entomologically-minded, the family Lijcaenidae, to which 
the two species concerned belong, is a very large one, 
containing many genera and species. Over one-third of 
the total Australian Butterflies belong to this family. 
They are popularly known as Blues, Coppers, and 
Hair. streaks, on account of their general colouration and 
markings. Many are small and delicate, while others are 
larger, more robust bodily, and the wings stronger. The 
general colour is some shade of blue, green, purple, cop- 
per, red and yellow, but the majority of the species are 
of some shade of blue on the upper surface — often intensely 
brilliant. 
The general entomological collector is inclined to pass 
ever many of these more delicate species as being too 
small and difficult to handle. To the lepidopterist, how- 
ever, they are a never ceasing source of interest and are 
much sought after by him — not only on account of their 
great beauty, but also because many are rare and extremely 
local in their occurrence, and their life— histories provide 
a most absorbing study. 
While the larvae of most of the species are found 
associated with ants r,t some time, in some species — such 
as the two in question — the larvae are never found with- 
out the ant. 
