Spinners); Cluhionidæ, Drassidæ, Agelenidæ, Dictynidæ (all Tube Spinners, as also are Lycosidoe); Atypidæ (Purse-Web Spiders); Thomisidæ (Crab Spiders).[1]
Principally, the species are Drassidæ and Clubionidæ. Whether there are any novelties remains to be seen. Of known rare forms, there is at least one of exceptional interest in Mecysmauchenius segmentatus, representing the Archæidæ, a family of two existing species, the other of which inhabits Madagascar.
Insects have a more than ordinary element of interest in such a region as this.
Hymenoptera, whose life and soul depend so much on sunshine and warmth, are very few. Eight species collected by me are referred by Colonel Bingham to the families Apidce, Eumemdæ, Ichneumonidæ and Proctotrujjidæ. The most conspicuous insect, not plentiful but met with here and there as a solitary individual, is a large thickly-furred orange-coloured Bumble Bee (Bombus dahlbomii). Another of the Apidæ is a Solitary Bee, genus Osmia. Honey Bees are entirely absent. Solitary Wasps (Eumenidæ) have a representative in Odynerus vespiformis. In Ichneumonidæ, there is the ferocious-looking Cryptus hellicosus having an ovipositor some two and a half inches long.
In Lepidoptera, it is not surprising to find very few Butterflies. Indeed, to take a Butterfly at all in these furious elements was to me a novel experience. It was only at intervals of many days, or sometimes of several weeks, that I was able to do so. Four species were all I could collect; two Nymphalidæ and two Pieridæ. Of these, the most striking is a little Fritillary (Argynms cytheris). The remainder consist of a small Brown (Neosatyrus hoisduvalii); a White (Tatochila argyrodice); and a
- ↑ As a help to the field naturalist who may have no knowledge of Spiders. I have asked Mr. R. I. Pocock to determine these as far as is practicable on bionomical lines. He has very kindly done so; but, it is only right to add, as he says, that however descriptive of life habit, several of the names are not good from the zoological standpoint.—R.C.
