INTRODUCTORY 
19 
the lizard by speed. Colour, in either case, is immaterial. No 
bird—none, that is, within my circle of acquaintance—troubles 
the Rhopalocera . The specific reason of their specialised colours 
and colour-patterns (if any) must be sought in some direction 
other than “protection.” Such quests, however, should be 
rigorously eclectic, else the only certain result will be yet 
further to multiply the existing mass of superficial theories 
and unproven deduction. 
The above impressions were derived solely from the 
winter months. Of summer in the Sudan I know nothing-, 
but Mr A. L. Butler (being recalled by the War) wrote me 
September 16th, 1914:—-“The whole country is steaming 
—greener and more tropical than ever I have known it. 
Even the desert is quite green with little weeds that have 
sprung up all over it, and the place is alive with butterflies 
and hawk-moths.” 
Hawk-moths, by the way, are a notable feature of the 
winter season. Dining in the open air, dozens of these 
huge insects hover around the electric lights, or flop 
promiscuously on the table-cloth — or on the back of 
one’s neck! disconcerting to the nervous, but apt to set 
a British entomologist wild when he sees half-a-dozen 
magnificent creatures such as the Oleander hawk-moth 
(one of the rarest prizes at home) calmly alighting on a 
chandelier! 
“ Shall I Go ? ” 
(No : stop and be sketched. Can’t waste cartridges on io-footers.) 
