NOTES ON THE BUTTERFLIES
off. This was all a mistake, but I had to learn
from the great teacher-Experience.
 Malaria got hold of me very quickly and held
me in its heavy grip. I was always down with
fever and could do no more collecting. I was
at death's door and expected to die when I was
sent to the Cayo in the Western District, which
is noted for its salubrity. Here I began to
recuperate, and was soon well enough to resume
my search after butterflies ; but now I began to
take precautions, having learned the need of
them.
 In this district I made the bulk of my collection,
finding in it a great variety of insects, both moths
and butterflies, many of which I had never seen
in the south. I remained several years in this
district and then went to Orange Walk and later
to Corozal, both in the north of the Colony.
 Although there are a few rare butterflies which
appear only to occur in these northern districts,
yet, as far as the study of the Lepidoptera is con-
cerned, I found these districts very disappointing.
There is not one quarter of the wealth of butterfly
life to be seen there as compared with the south
and the west, either as regards the varieties of
species or the number of insects.
 It is quite true that the further south one goes
the more abundant and varied becomes the insect
fauna. For instance, as the north of the Colony