BANDA POLLA FOBEST 
365 
siamica , Walk., a very variable species which is common in the 
flowers of the introduced Tithonia diversifoiia , are almost as much 
like Lady-birds. A very grey Dysdercus cingulatus was netted on 
the wing. 
It was on Lady Blake’s Drive also that I took the huge Discolia 
indica, Sauss., a fearsome black creature with bands of red bristly 
hairs on its abdomen, while, as is usual, a Mango-tree in full bloom 
attracted a number of Bees, chiefly Apis indica and a species of 
Mdipona , but among them were a couple of the large Apis dorsata, 
Fabr. The only Fly that I brought home was Bhinia discolor , Fabr. 
A day expedition to Banda Folia Forest, a large plantation about 
28 miles N.W. of Kandy and about 400 ft. above sea level was in 
several respects a disappointment. I chartered a small motor and set 
forth gaily, ever and anon driving the terrified natives, their children, 
and their beasts, to right and left as we sped along the beautiful road 
with much tooting. Of course there was not time to stop at the 
most promising part. An excellent lunch at the best rest-house that 
I have seen in the East, Kurunegala, consumed more valuable time; 
however I got to the forest at last, having picked up a very civil 
native officer of the Forest Department. I had scarcely realized to 
what an extent the forest was artificial and was consequently 
surprised that the only insect other than such as I saw daily in Lady 
Horton’s Drive, was a single Ghilades laius , Cram., f. varunana, 
Moore, the wet-season form. A wet-season male and an intermediate 
female Terias hecabe were taken, as well as an intermediate male 
T. silhetana. Even Beetles were very rare, although the forest-officer 
gave grand accounts of the Longicorns that he was in the habit of 
sending away. One log, a rotten one, yielded the Dung-beetle 
Catharsius molossus , Linn., and five specimens of Tiberius waterhousei, 
Kaup. 
Presently the chauffeur said it was time to be off, and somewhat 
reluctantly I folded up my net. It was just as well that we did 
start then, for when we were about halfway home the car fell sick, 
it seemed to have a paralytic stroke. I was not sorry to get out 
and walk, leaving the car to follow, as I hoped to pick up some insects. 
The nearly dry bed of a small river looked promising, so I went down 
to explore it and look for butterflies drinking. On turning a sharp 
corner I found myself confronted by a huge Elephant which seemed 
to block the way with his widespread ears. There was a nervous 
moment until his mahout returned, for it is said that elephants are 
mimic, and there does not appear to be any Ceylon Ladybird at all similar to them 
in the National Collection. 
